In the summer of 79
by loppy-lou17
Summary: in the summer of 79 that a friendship grew through the tragic times of lily's summer.
1. Chapter 1

In the Summer of 79

It was the summer of 79 when Lily's world turned upside down and a friendship blossomed and turned into love after years of hatred and pranks. Sorry not very good with summaries. 

**Chapter 1 – Happy to be home**

It was a warm sunny morning in July and sitting in the shade of a large oak tree was a petit Lily Evans. Lily was sitting with her emerald green eyes looking at the pages of a book and twirling a lock of her bright red hair with her left hand. For Lily sitting outdoors and left to her own thoughts was how she liked to be, even more so when she started at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, five years ago. Since finding out that she was a witch Lily and her elder sister Petunia did nothing but argue and bicker over the smallest things. It had been only that very morning that an argument broke out between Lily and Petunia over the last of the cornflakes.

"You've eaten all the cornflakes you freak!" Screamed Petunia standing over Lily while, she sat at the table reading the newspaper.

"Well there is other cereal you can eat you know!" Lily replied lazily not bothering to look up from the newspaper and turning the page.

"If YOU were still at that freak of a school I wouldn't have to have another cereal." Petunia muttered walking over to the cupboard to pour herself some cereal. Lily rolled her eyes getting up from the kitchen table and picking up a book from the table by the door and walked out into the back garden to her favourite spot under the oak tree.

Lily had been sitting half reading her book and half day dreaming about meeting that perfect someone to fall in love with, when she was interrupted by her mother Rose.

"Lily Darlin me and your dad have got to pop into London to meet a couple of friends for lunch. Did you want to go to that shop place behind the wall? What's it called again?" Rose asked looking down at her daughter.

"Diagon Alley mum." Lily smiled back.

"That's the one so did you want to go?"

"Sure, I could do with a new book." Lily got up from the grass brushing off her cameral coloured shorts and pulled down her white vest top following her mum back into the house.

An hour later Lily could see the Leaky Cauldron, looking as uninviting as ever coming into site from the car window.

"Right we'll pick you up in 2 hours ok sweetie?" Lily's dad Sam told lily putting his hand through his light brown hair and looking over his shoulder at his daughter.

"Yes dad." Lily kissed both parents on the cheek before getting out of the car and walking into the pub.

The Leaky Cauldron was full of customers chatting cheerfully and Tom the toothless bar man was cleaning glasses while talking to someone with a green travelling cloak on, drinking what looked like fire whiskey to Lily. Walking through the bar into the little courtyard Lily got out her wand and tapped a set of bricks in the wall, which then opened up to form an archway in the wall. Walking through the archway Lily entered Diagon Alley. Looking down the street at the rows of shops Lily smiled she really enjoyed shopping in the wizarding world it was more fun she found then in the muggle world.

Lily walked into Flourish and Blotts walking around the shopping looking at the rows upon rows of books. Lily wasn't sure what sort of book she wanted or if she actually wanted another one anymore. But after fifteen minutes of searching through the stacks of shelf's Lily found the perfect book to read 'True Love is it meant to be?' by Amanda Hoold. Instantly Lily picked up the book, and after also finding some books on hexes and jinks Lily found herself walking back down the street and towards Quality Quidditch Supply's.

In the window the new QuickSilver480 was displayed with pictures of famous Quidditch players gold picture frames. Lily was standing there watching the players zooming around the picture and occasionally giving a wave or a sly wink in her direction, which made Lily laugh. Lily had always wanted to learn how to fly, but after her first lesson where she fell off the broom Lily was a little weary to go back onto a broomstick again, but looking at this broom Lily was wishing that she were up in the air looking down at the lake while the sun was setting in the distance. Turning away from the window Lily went to make her way back up the street when all of a sudden someone ran into her making her fall to the ground and drop her shopping all over the street.

Looking up Lily could see a mess of brown hair and instantly knew it was James Potter. James and Lily had never got on from the moment they met James and the maunderous had been pulling tricks and pranking her at any opportunity they got, usually in lessons or while she was eating in the great hall. Lily could remember the first time that the boys pranked her in her first year while she was sitting in the great hall eating a slice of chocolate cake, when all of a sudden her bowl came flying up from the table and landed on her head covering her with chocolate cake. Lily never forgot the laughter of everyone in the hall as she ran out of the hall and up into the dormitory. From that moment on the pranks kept on flowing, lily's hair had been turned green, pink and blue, her bag spilt as she walked down the corridor and messages magically put on her back.

"Coz you couldn't see me there Potter." Lily exclaimed looking up at James from the ground.

"I'm sorry I should have been looking where I was going, here." James held out his hand to help up a shocked Lily, who had been expecting a witty or rude remark in return.

"I don't need help getting up thanks." Lily said this as she got up from the grownd and went to pick up her packages, when all of a sudden she saw James got one step ahead of her picking them all up for her.

"What are you doing?" Lily asked uncertainly. The only motive Lily was thinking of James helping her was to either ask her out for the 100th time or to prank whatever he was picking up.

"Umm helping to pick up you packages that I made go flying." James answered as if it was the most normal thing in the world. Still uncertain Lily stood there looking quizzically at a helpful James something that was totally unheard off, well unheard of for James to help her.

"Um thanks." Lily said unsurely to James as he passed her books to her. Still standing there Lily was looking at James as if waiting for something to happen or his other three group members to show up.

"You sure your o.k? I mean it looks like you've cut your elbow." James pointed to Lily's right elbow, which was true to James's word bleeding slightly. Lily looked down at her elbow noticing for the first time the little cut.

"Oh didn't even notice, but it will be fine." Lily said still looking down at her elbow.

"Didn't know that you like Quidditch? To be honest I've never seen you anywhere near a broom." James said looking at the window display to Lily.

"Yeah well there is a lot you don't know about me, and I haven't been on a broom since first year. Why are you being nice to me?" Lily asked her thoughts getting the better of her. When James was being his usual egotistic self she knew how to respond but when he was being nice Lily was too startled to know what to say. James looked at Lily obviously not expecting a question like that.

"Would you rather I was… what's it you used to call me oh yeah an egotistic jerk?" James asked feeling a little put out.

"Well yes I mean no I mean… but if this is some plan to ask me out again you can stop it right now!" Lily exclaimed.

"No Lily I just thought we could be friends." James replied shifting from one foot to the other.

"You have got to be joking haven't you? You think I'm going to forget all those pranks and torment just like that? Well your wrong because of you no guy will dare ask me out, and no one other then Isabel wants to be my friend. It's going to take more then sorry!" Lily turned and hurried back up the street, her head full of what had just happened, not noticing the fact that the eyes of James Potter were still on her back, Until his friends Sirius Black and Remus Lupin came flying round the corner.

"Hey Prongsie…. have you seen it you must have seen it" Sirius was saying while jumping around on the spot. James was looking a bit bewildered.

"Umm seen what exactly Padfoot?" Sirius's face automatically turned into a shocked expression.

"How can you not know?" Sirius was making wide hand gestures and pretending to faint, landing on the stone floor with a thud.

"Ow." James was still standing there trying not to laugh at his best friends antics but getting more confused by the moment.

"I think he means the new QuickSilver480" Remus clued James in while looking down at Sirius who was now starting to get up off the floor rubbing his bottom.

"Oh yeah I saw that, it looks amazing. I mean look at the tail and the handle looks so… so smooth and glossy. I'm hoping my parents will get it for me for my birthday!" James was smiling with enthusiasm Quidditch was his favourite sport of all time and had been on the team for Gryffindor house for the past five years.

"If you did that would make it certain that we will get the Quidditch cup this year. " Remus smiled.

"Hey with me on the team were always certain to win the cup!" Padfood exclaimed, while James and Remus just stood there laughing.

"Any way putting Quidditch aside, was that Lily we saw you with? What was going on there then?" Remus asked with a sparkle in his eye.

"Um nothing, I just ran into her and helped her to pick up her things." James replied as though it was nothing out of the normal.

"Hold on…there's one thing wrong with that sentence you helped Lily… I mean u didn't ask her out?" Sirius asked shocked.

"Yeah I didn't ask her out, but I did ask her to be friends." James said casually.

"Don't tell me she said get lost." Sirius said in a girly high-pitched voice.

"Well yeah." James shrugged

" Come on lets get some ice cream I'm starving." Sirius knew that this was not the time to pressure James on the subject. So the three boys walked off to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream.

Lily meanwhile had just reached the far end of Diagon alley and started to make her way back through the Leaky Cauldron to meet her parents, who were sitting in the car waiting for her.

"Hello Sweetie. Have a good time?" Her dad asked good naturally before starting up the engine and started to drive them home.

"Now Lily Petunia is bringing Vernon round for dinner tonight. Don't pull that face. So I want you to be nice." Rose said looking over her shoulder towards Lily who was now wishing that she were back at her "freak" school. Compared to James and Sirius the only other person Lily really detested was Vernon. Vernon could not be more opposite to Petunia if he tried being a bit on the large side and when they were both together all they cared about was what people thought about them. And every time that Vernon did come round for dinner meant that Petunia would give Lily the 'talk' about watching what she said when he was round, and today was no different.

As soon as the car pulled up into the driveway the front door of the house burst open and Petunia came rushing out.

"Vernon is here already now Lily I don't want you to say anything about that freak school you go to, or anything really to do with your… your freakiness." Petunia was saying as her and Lily walked up the drive way and into the house.

Walking into the front room Lily could see Vernon sitting in the armchair close to the window wearing a grey tailored suit and drinking tea.

"Hello Vernon glad to see you." Lily said this with a force smile and trying to keep all the sarcasm out of her voice. But Vernon looked passed Lily and got up to greet her parents instead.

"Ah Hello Sam, Rose lovely to meet you again. Dinners round yours are always an enjoyable event." Vernon said standing to talk to them.

"Suckup." Coughed Lily as she went to take a seat the furthest away from Vernon and Petunia. This alone earned her a glare from Petunia and a look of amusement from her father.

After an hour of to Lily complete boredom listening to the details of the latest development at his work, the jokes which were just not funny and Vernon's latest promotion dinner was finally ready.

They all sat round the table eating quietly, Lily however was picking up on the glances Petunia was giving Vernon and when all of the strawberry trifle had been eaten the real reason for the meal came to light.

"Mum, dad Vernon and I are getting married." Petunia burst out waving around a ring. Lily's mouth however hanged open while their parents congratulated the couple.

"That's wonderful love." Sam said smiling at his daughter.

"And I'm moving in with Vernon, tonight!" Petunia added sounding happier then Lily had ever heard, but still too in shock to say anything.

The next morning Lily was getting dressed into a pair of jean shorts and a green t-shirt and thinking about what to do for the day, when all of a sudden there was a knock on her bedroom door and her dad walked in.

"Were off to see your Nan, did you want to come along she hasn't seen you since Christmas." Sam smiled at his daughter.

"Yeah, I love Nan's home made éclairs."

"See you in the car in five minutes then" Sam kissed the top of her head before heading out of the door. Brushing her hair and putting it in a messy bun then grabbing a pair of green flip-flops Lily was running down the stairs out of the front door and getting into the car with her parents.

"Oh there you are. Was about to send out the search party." Sam laughed as Lily put on her seat belt.

"It's hard work finding a pair of shoes to go with this outfit." Lily replied with laughter in her voice.

"That's my girl." Rose laughed, while Sam rolled his eyes.

Half an hour later and they were all sitting in the garden at Lily Nan's Pat drinking cold lemonade and eating the delicious homemade chocolate éclairs.

"How's school then kiddo? And that Potter fellow still giving you trouble?"

"Schools good Nan, and yeah that Potter is still being his usual egotistic self…but can u believe he asked me to be his friend today after everything his done." Lily exclaimed to her Nan

"I know your not going to want to hear this but maybe you should give him a chance kiddo, you never know he may not be a bad person." Pat said taking a sip of her lemonade. Lily was shocked thinking her own Nan was on his side.

"I hate to say it but your Nan's right sweetheart." Sam said looking at his daughter as he leant over to help himself to another éclair.

"Fine I'll give him another chance…but that's it one more." Lily said stubbornly arms folded.

"So other then that have you learnt any spells yet that can help me with my gardening yet?" Pat asked her granddaughter. Lily laughed.

"No I'm still working on that spell, maybe you should just get a goat to eat the grass for you in the mean time."

"Yes I'd do that if you come and clean up its droppings." Pat reasoned with Lily.

"Second thoughts I'll look up a nice spell." They all laughed as Lily pulled a face at the idea of cleaning up goat's droppings.

All too soon it was time for them to leave and Lily was kissing her Nan goodbye on the cheek before getting back into the car and fastening her seatbelt.

On the way home they were all talking about the days James and second chances before debating over what takeaway to get for dinner when all of a sudden a gold car came flying around the corner in front of Sam's car and did not stop until it was too late. The next thing Lily knew she was waking up in a hospital bed with a throbbing headache and her arm in a sling.

Lily sat bolt up right wincing at the pain in the left shoulder when she remembered what had happened.

"Lily sweetie lay back down." Lily's Nan was sitting in the chair next to her bed looking exhausted.

"Where's mummy and daddy?" Lily asked not laying back down.

"Lily. Your dad didn't make it, and your mum's in intensive care. I'm sorry, you're too young for this." Lily sat there stunned not moving an inch.

"Daddy's gone?" Lily whispered before the door burst open and in walked Petunia.

"I see YOUR fine, I bet it's your fault daddy's dead I bet it was something to do with your freakiness!" Petunia screamed at a stunned Lily. Tears started to form in Lily's eyes when Petunia said this what if it was her fault, what if she could have stopped it from happening.

"Petunia there's no need for that. It was not Lily's fault and you know it now if you can't be nice then get out." Pat scorned Petunia as she turned quickly on her heals and marched out. Lily just sat there as her Nan put her arms around her shoulder and Lily started to cry into her shoulder uncontrollably while her Nan rubbed her back and made soothing noised until she calmed down.

"Can I, Can I see my mum and dad?" Lily asked her Nan once she could speak again. Her Nan was looking grave but decided that it might help her to calm down so took her over to where her mum lay.

Walking through the door Lily saw her mums red hair laying around her shoulder and her eyes were shut. There was a drip in her left hand, and lily could see cuts over her perfect cream face. On the other side of the room lily could see her dad lying down in the same lifeless position, but with his short brown hair looking extremely messy, and a large cut down his right check.

"Mummy, daddy I'm sorry." Lily took hold of her mum's free hand and held it in hers while looking up at her face and tears where trickling down her face. Lily sat like that for over an hour before her Nan came back in and took her away.

"Come on your coming back to mine for a little bit. You can come see them again tomorrow." Pat walked her out of the hospital and to her car. Lily was scared to get in case something happened again but after a bit of reassurance they were on their way 'home'.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two - Friendship and Facing Fears. **

"Come on Lily you have got to eat something." Pat said worriedly to Lily she had barely been eating in the past two days since the accident and trying to hide away from the reality, and had not gone back to see her mum since she left hospital three days ago. Her dad died shortly after she left and in the back of her mind all lily could thing was that what happened if the same thing happened when she went back to see her mum.

Lily now also had big bags under her eyes from not sleeping and wasn't bothered about her appearance anymore. In the mornings Lily would wake up and put on the first items of clothing to hand and tie her hair back in a ponytail. To Lily loosing her dad and maybe her mum was like loosing half of herself and her best friends. It was too much to take.

"I had some toast this morning, and I'm not really that hungry. I'm going to go for a walk." With that Lily went and put on her shoes before walking out of the front door and following the path down to the park. Lately the park had been the place where she came to get away from everything, it was her sanctuary, and the place she could come and think without being disturbed.

Lily was sitting there swinging on the swing thinking about the times when she and her dad would come over the park and have competitions on who could swing the highest, or when she fell off the swing when she was five and her dad picked her up rushing her back to her Nan's because she had a tiny cut on her knee. Lily was sitting there smiling at the thought of her dad running up the street because of a tiny cut and being so engrossed in her thoughts when somebody sat on the swing next to her she didn't even notice until they spoke.

"Hi Lily, what are you doing here? I never knew you lived round here." The person said and abruptly Lily was snapped out of her thoughts and saw none other then James Potter sitting on the swing next to her.

"Yeah my Nan lives up the road and I'm staying with her for a while." Lily said this barely above a whisper. In the back of her mind was the last conversation she had with her parents about giving James a second try, and to Lily not doing the last thing her dad asked. James however was looking at Lily knowing that there was something wrong but wasn't willing to push it out of her.

"That's nice, do you see her often?" James asked trying to keep the conversation going.

"Yes every holiday with my mum and dad." Lily's eyes began to water as she was reminded why she was at her Nan's in the first place, and before she could stop them they started to fall down her cheeks. James instinctively put a comforting arm around her, and made circles on her back while making shhing noises to try and help calm her down while she cried into his shoulder. Ten minutes later when Lily had finished crying out all the tears she had in her she then notice whose shoulder she was leaning on and quickly jerked her head away. 'I can't believe I have just cried in front of Potter' But James was now kneeling in front of her and used his hands to wipe away the tears from her cheeks.

"I'm sorry." Lily sniffed

"Lily you have got to let it out you can't keep it all locked inside. It's not healthy. Plus it makes a change from you yelling at me" James was smiling and looking directly into Lily's eyes with concern in his voice.

"But Lily what happened?" James asked he knew half hour ago he wasn't going to ask but he had never seen Lily like this, even when he had seen her upset after a prank they had pulled on her she never cried like this.

"I... My dad… My mum…car accident." Was all Lily could say without the tears falling again.

"Lily what happened to your mum and dad?" James asked with concern in his voice and his hazel eyes looking in her emerald green ones softly.

"My dad died and mum is still in hospital." Lily said this just over a whisper in the past two dads she had never mentioned the word dad it had been too hard.

"I'm sorry." Lily was looking down at the floor. James put his hand on her chin and brought her eyes to his when all of a sudden her stomach grumbled.

"Well looks like someone's hungry." James said still smiling. "How about we go grab something to eat I know a nice little place that does the best chocolate cake we can go to." James said this getting up from the ground holding out his hand to for Lily to take, and this time Lily did take his hand a little wearily to help her self up.

They began walking down the road in silence before James tripped up on the uneven pavement and fell to the ground. Without even realising it Lily burst out laughing James glasses were askew and arms and legs everywhere, it was the funniest thing Lily had seen all holiday.

"Owch. Glad you found it funny." James said getting up and dusting himself down, but he had a wide smile on his face. "That was embarrassing."

"That was the funniest thing I've ever seen. I'll never forget the shocked look on your face as you fell to the ground." Lily said between laughs as James continued to dust himself down.

"Come on were nearly there." James looked at Lily who had now stopped laughing. Walking a little further up the street they came to a little café. Walking through the door Lily could see about twenty round tables with red and white checked tablecloths on. Around each table were four wooden chairs where the cushion material matched the tablecloth. Behind the counter was an old lady who was drying up teacups and talking to a young girl of about 20.

Lily and James walked up to the counter.

"Hello dears, what can I get for you both?" The old lady asked James.

"Can we have two slices of chocolate cake and two cokes please?" James asked politely. Before being told to take a seat and the lady would bring their order to them. They both took a table by the window in the corner.

"So what's your favourite flavour ice cream?" Lily asked James from out of nowhere. James was looking at Lily bewildered and laughed before answering.

"Strawberry. Why did you want to know?"

"I don't know I guess I just didn't want to sit in the silence. My favourite is mint chocolate chip by the way." Lily just smiled as the young girl game along and put their order on the table.

"Mmm I love chocolate cake." Lily said taking a big bite out of her cake.

"Nah cheese cakes better." James said matter of factly taking a swig out of his coke.

Half an hour later and James and Lily were walking back towards the park. Lily looked down at her watch and noticing that it was getting in late turned and faced James.

"I better get going my Nan will be wondering where I am, but thanks for today I needed some laughter and a friend." Lily looked at James smiling.

"Lily it was my pleasure, I'd rather be friends with you then fighting with you." James smiled back before lily turned round and started walking back up the road towards her Nan's.

Once Lily got home she went straight up to her room and lay down on her bed thinking about James and how much he had been there for her today. It was weird lily always stereotyped him as being self conceited and not caring about anyone but his little group, but today he had kind and caring without thinking about himself once.

"Maybe Nan was right his not all that bad." Lily said out loud. Before she knew it lily had fallen asleep while she lay there and woke up the next morning still fully dressed from the day before. Getting up Lily went into the bathroom showered and then picked out an outfit for the day, for some reason lily felt that she should choose something rather then her usual of late which was picking up the first things that came to hand. After getting changed lily went down to the kitchen to find a note on the table for her.

'Lily,

Just gone out to do some shopping and sort out the funeral arrangements. I didn't think that you would want to do any of it. Be back this afternoon.

Love

Nan.'

Lily walked to the door putting on a pair of sandals and walked out of the door and headed down the street to her sanctuary the park. A part of lily was hoping that James would be there, but when she did think of that Lily instantly felt guilt James knew everything that had happened this summer but her own best friend Isabel had no idea. Lily had tried several times to write to Isabel about it but each time she found that she just couldn't put it into words. It always came out as though it was only a little accident and everyone was fine, so lily had given up trying.

When Lily reached the park James was sitting on the grass laying on his back reading a book. Taking the advantage that James had not seen lily approaching she stood behind him.

"BOOO." She yelled as close as she could to his ear. James jumped up from the spot his book going flying in the air.

"Give me a heart attack why don't you." James replied holding on to his chest. Lily meanwhile was laughing uncontrollably as she went and picked up the book he was reading.

"Quidditch through the ages, how many times have you read this book?" Lily asked rolling her eyes.

"About as many times as you have read Hogwarts a History." James challenged.

"Touché Mr Potter." Lily walked back over to James handing over his book, and taking a seat next to James who had retaken his seat on the ground.

"So do you come here everyday then?" James asked leaning back on his elbows.

"Yeah it nice and peaceful, and I'm out of the way from my Nan." Lily replied retying her hair back into a bun.

"Lily, when was the last time you saw your mum then?" James asked with concern and seriousness in his voice.

"The day I left the hospital, it was horrible she was laying there lifelessly, and just after I left my dad died. I can't go back what if the same happens with my mum?" Lily replied now playing with her hands.

"Lily how do you know that your mum's the same as you left her? How will you know that the same thing will happen?" James asked Lily softly.

"I guess I don't. I'm just scared, what if she's worse and not better?" Lily asked playing now with a strand of her red hair and looking down at the floor.

"Lily I can't tell you that your mum will be fine, but if you don't go and see her, and if something does happen your going to be kicking yourself for the rest of your life, and I'm sure that you don't want that." James said sitting up and turning to look at lily that had titled her head slightly to look at him.

"Its just I don't, I can't do it alone?" Lily asked just above a whisper, that it was hard for James to hear.

"Lily I'll go with you. Look Lily I'm here for as long as you need me." James said softly getting up off the ground once again. "Come on lets go now and see your mum before you change your mind." James said this as he handed his hand out to help Lily get up.

Once Lily was up off the ground they started walking up the street.

"Um lils how exactly do we get to the hospital I mean St Mungo's is ages away." James asked Lily as they were walking to the bus stop.

"First of where did lil's come from? And were not going to St Mungo's were going to get on this bus and it will take us to the hospital." Lily was starting to get some money out of her pocket and stepping onto the bus motioning James to follow her.

"This is just like the night bus a little smaller, not as fast, and it's not the same without the hot chocolate spilling everywhere." James was saying this looking around the bus and taking a seat next to Lily at the very front. Lily just let out a small laugh and rolled her eyes.

"Really it's like you've never been on a bus before."

"I haven't whoooo that bus nearly took out the car in front did you see that… you sure that this is safe?" James was looking worried as he looked out the window and seeing how close the bus actually stopped to the cars in front.

"Yes James this bus is safe, you telling me you would rather ride a broom to this bus?" Lily asked felling that the bus was indeed a safer option then the broom.

"You kidding me. Of course I prefer a broom, there's nothing like speeding around in the open air, having the freedom to do what you want, to be in total control." James was saying this with such passion in his voice lily couldn't help but smile. The more time that she spent with James the more that Lily was enjoying his company and finding out about him.

"Were here come on." Lily push James up from the seat and they got off the bus right in front of them was the hospital. All of a sudden Lily became tense.

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea… I think I'll just go home." Lily said this while starting to walk away from the site in front of her.

"Oh no you do not miss Evans your going into that hospital, and your going to see your mum before you regret it for the rest of your life. Now you can either walk in by yourself or I'll carry you in. I didn't just risk my life on the bass for no reason." James said this sternly but Lily continued to walk away so without warning James went up behind Lily and picked her up throwing her over his shoulder and walked towards the towing white building.

"Fine I'll walk just put me down." Lily was kicking and trying to get out of James's grip. So James put her down and they walked in through the doors and went up the stairs towards ward 2B where Lily's mum was laying.

"What you doing here?" Hissed a voice from behind Lily just as she was about to turn the handle and walk in. Turning around Lily could see Petunia standing there in a flowery dress and looking as skinny as ever.

"I came to see my mum. Only if that's ok with you of course." Lily said this as she finished turning the handle and walked into the room.

Walking in the site that greeted Lily was the same as before, apart from the scratches that had healed a little bit. Her mum's wavy red hair was platted this time thought and laying on her right hand side. Lily went and sat in the seat next to her the bed taking her mums hand within her own.

"Mum I hope you can hear me, I gave James a chance just like you wanted, and well his not as bad as I thought. In fact he came with me today." Lily now had tears trickling down her face.

"But, I promise that I'll complete school and become the best witch that I can be, I'll make you proud I promise." Lily wiped away the tears and sat there a little longer before getting up and walking back out of the room.

James was sitting in the corridor his head in his hands and looking down at the floor, and Lily instantly started walking over to where he was sitting. However when James heard the sound of footsteps he looked up and saw Lily walking over wiping tears away from her eyes. Instantly James shot up and closed the gap between them and pulled Lily into a tight embrace, which Lily welcomed. After a while James pulled back looking at Lily who was still looking teary eyed.

"Come on how about you come back to mine for some chocolate cake?" James said this as he wiped away the tears running down Lily's face with his thumb. Lily just nodded and allowed James to take her hand in his and lead her out of the hospital and back to the bus stop, to where there was a bus waiting.

"Can we sit a little away from the front, it's a little scary up there." James asked as smiled and led them to the middle of the bus and sat down by the window still not letting go of James's hand until they got off the bus near where the park was.

"Right follow me its just up that little hill." James smiled with a sparkle in his eyes and pointing to the steepest hill that was in the area.

"_Little_?" Lily repeated looking up at the hill with a 'you have got to be kidding me' look on her face. James just laughed and pulled her along the road.

James was walking up the hill with ease, Lily supposed this had something to do with all the Quidditch practice that he did, but by the time lily was half way up the hill she started to slow down her pace.

"Come on not much further now you can do it." James laughed at Lily as she shot him a death glare.

"Finally the top…didn't think id make it." Lily laughed now looking at the two houses that were situated along the road. James led her towards the first large cream house and walked up to the front door.

Well that's it for this chapter hope you liked it please review and I'll try and get the third chapter up by next week.

Lorna


	3. Making Amends

**Chapter 3 – Making amends**

Walking inside Lily could see the largest ballroom she had ever seen, with a brightly coloured mural laced with gold of what looked like Greek gods floating across the ceiling, some were sitting on fluffy white clouds looking down at the floor below, while, others were happily floating around the mural. Over on the far side of the ballroom was a marble statue of Pegasus, next to the grand marble staircase. To Lily's other side there was a grand marble fireplace with an ordimental gold jar sitting on the mantle, which made the whole room in Lily's mind complete. It was the nicest thing Lily had seen and it seemed that James had noticed her admiring it as he smiled standing next to her.

"You get used to it after a while." Lily looked up at James with a quizzical expression on her face.

"Trust me when you spend four hours in here a time talking to people that are pretty boring to talk to, and having them tell you how nice it is, it kind of wears of on you." James explained as Lily's expression changed back to an 'o I see' expression "come on lets go to the kitchen and get some chocolate cake that I know you _love_ so much." James said this as he grabbed her hand and led her across the ballroom and into a large kitchen, which had cream walls, and pine wooded cupboards around the walls. At the far end there was a dining table that could easily seat about twelve people. Running around the kitchen was a little house elf, which looked like it was wearing a bright yellow pillowcase and cooking what smelt a lot like chicken soup.

"Take a seat I'll bring it right over." James told Lily as he started rummaging around in the fridge before pulling out two large slices of chocolate cake and two bottles of orange juice and walked over to the table to join Lily.

"Just a little bit of cake then?" Lily said looking at the slice big enough for two that was now in front of her. James laughed as he passed over a fork and a bottle of orange juice before he began to eat his way through his slice of cake that was just as big.

"So, how would you like the guided tour of the garden?" James asked Lily as she sat there poking the last bit of her cake with her fork.

"Sure I can try and walk some of that cake off…I don't think I have eaten that much cake before in my life." Lily laughed as she put her fork down and stood up to make her way to the door where James was now standing and waiting for her.

Walking through the back door Lily could see the garden was just as big as the house and needing a guided tour was quite literal. The garden was split into many section, at the far bottom Lily could see a small Quidditch pitch, to her left was a pool glittering in the sun light and had a bright yellow slide which when into the glittering water. To her right looked beautiful full of summer flowers and roses in a large circle with a small opening. Inside the opening were a large wooden garden table and ten wooden chairs around the table. Right in front of lily was trees and sweet smelling flowers at the base of each of the trees, but you could just see a swing at the far end to her left if she looked closely. Never had Lily seen a garden that looked this perfect and inviting as this one did right now.

"James it beautiful." Lily breathed after she had finished taking in the sites around her. James stood there and smiled with a mysterious glint in his eyes. Lily had noticed this and was getting ready to run as she looked from James to the swimming pool then back to James.

"James don't you even think ab…" But before lily could finish the sentence James had jumped forward to grab Lily who had already anticipated what he was going to do and was now currently running as fast as she could away from James through the trees laughing. Looking over her shoulder Lily could see James was only a couple of meters behind her. 'Damn his Quidditch training' Lily thought just before James caught up and grabbed lily around the waist and then picked her up and threw her over his shoulder jogging over the pool, which was proving a little difficult with lily kicking and wiggling trying to free herself from James's grasp.

"James put me down!" Lily was half screaming half trying to hold in a laugh

"Will you stop wiggling like that? And I'll put you down in a minute" James told Lily still who was now wriggling more as James approached the pool.

"No James I mean down on the ground." Lily stated now turning her head and seeing the pool in front of them. James however decided to ignore Lily's last sentence as he carefully he lifted lily off his shoulder with ease then dropped her straight into the warm water.

"JAMES YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THAT." Lily shouted as she came back to the surface of the water wiping her now wet hair out of her eyes. James just stood there laughing standing on the edge of the pool. While James was laughing he didn't notice lily swim over to where he was standing and then next thing he knew Lily had grabbed his and leg and he was now flying through the air before James landed with a splash in the pool next to a smug looking lily.

"Oh this is war" James splattered when he came back to the surface and started to swim towards lily who was already let out a squeal and started swimming in the opposite direction, before turning suddenly round taking James off guard and dunking him in the water then laughing at the shocked look on his face.

"Oh that's it." James swam over to where Lily was starting to get out of the pool and grabbed her legs making her go flying back into the pool with a screech. This kept going on for about an hour before both of them were worn out and red in the face from laughing at each other so much, so they both decided to get out and walk towards the house.

"You James I have no change of clothes?" Lily said this matter of factly hoping that it would cause him to feel a little guilty for throwing her in the pool.

"That's not a problem you can borrow one of my t-shirts and I'm sure you'll fit into a pair of my shorts if we roll the bottoms about a meter." James laughed before setting of into a run when he saw lily coming after him with her hand ready to hit him. Lily chased him back through the kitchen across the ballroom and up the marble staircase along a couple of corridors before he stopped in front of a door, where lily took her opportunity to hit him.

"Owch." James was looking at the spot on his arm where Lily had just hit him.

"I'm not that short you know!" Lily exclaimed "But where are we exactly?" Lily asked as an after thought looking up and down the long corridor.

"Welcome to my room" James opened the door to show a room decorated in red and gold with a large double bed against the wall on the left and a large wardrobe opposite it. In front of lily was a set of large bay windows and a desk, which looked out onto the garden. The room in lily's opinion was lovely until you looked at the floor and the only patch of carpet visible was where a little pathway had been made through the books, socks, clothes, parchment and quills littering the floor. Looking at the mess lily raised an eyebrow at James who looked a little sheepish at the mess of his room.

"Its not that bad…just not had a lot of time to tidy up." James ended lamely before walking in the room towards the wardrobe and pulling out a green t-shirt and a pair of black shorts, which he threw towards lily who was now cautionary walking into the room trying to avoid everything, scattered across the room.

"If you go through that door over there it will take you to the bathroom where you can get changed." James pointed to a door, which had escaped lily notice, as it was the same red as the walls. James mean while was already rummaging back through the wardrobe and pulled himself out a black top and a pair of kaki coloured long shorts just as lily came back out from the bathroom.

"Told you the shorts wouldn't be too long." Lily said this then poked out her tongue at James, in fact the clothes that Lily were now wearing didn't look bad on her at all the shorts came down to her knees and the t-shirt was a little baggy, but lily had tucked it in to the shorts to stop it from being too long.

"Well I'm impressed. Oh and very mature with the poking out of the tongue." James laughed before he himself walked into the bathroom to get changed and when he came back out did a twirl around the room, which made lily laugh.

"Oh very nice James." lily smiled before walking out of the room and following James back down the corridors and made their way back to the kitchen.

"How about a glass of home made house elf lemonade, and then go out and sit in the garden?" James asked lily "no where near the pool." He added as an after thought Lily just nodded her head and was looking back around the kitchen noticing the plates, which they left on the table a few hours earlier had disappeared and the kitchen was looking spotless once again.

James walked over to where Lily was standing holding the two glasses of lemonade and led the way out of the door down past the trees and over to where the swing seat was that lily had seen earlier. Sitting down James handed Lily her glass of lemonade as she sat taking the seat next to James as he started to move the swing backwards and forwards while they sat in silence.

"It's weird isn't, I mean who would have thought that I would be sitting in your garden with you." Lily said this as she turned and faced James. "I mean it's just I never thought that you would be the person I would ever lean on when I needed support, or to be a friend when I needed one." Lily was saying this now looking down at her glass of lemonade.

"Lily to be honest I don't blame you, I have never shown you that I would be there if you needed me. Pulling pranks on you, arguing with you, taking every opportunity to mock you. Lets face it, it probably wasn't the best way to go around it." James was now looking into his glass of lemonade while lily looked over taking in the features on his face. His hazel eyes had none of the mysterious glint and there was no playful smile on his face, instead his eyes looked sorrowful and the smile had gone. In all James was looking truthfully sorry and a little guilty.

"I'm so sorry Lily." He said this as he looked up at her and into her emerald coloured eyes.

"James in truth I was a little bit horrible to you too. I mean some of the things I've said to you in the past ' I shall rather date the giant squid then ever date you' and that 'you are an egotistic jerk who can think of nobody but himself and cares for no one other then those that will bow down at your feet.' But James I was wrong. You have turned out to be the total opposite of those things."

"How about we have a fresh start?" James said this as he held out his hand and Lily smiled putting out her own hand to meet James's.

"Hello there I'm James Potter who may you be?" James asked with a large charming smile on his face. Lily let out a laugh before giving a reply.

"I'm Lily Evans nice to meet you." Then Lily did something that shocked both of them she lent over and hugged James before sitting back to where she was before looking forwards and looking at the effect that the setting sun was having on the garden. The sun was bright orange and looking down towards the Quidditch pitch lily could see the glow, which it was emitting onto the grass making it change colour slightly.

"I better be getting home, it's starting to get late. Plus I dare say my Nan will be getting ready to force feed me mash potatoes." Lily laughed as she got up from the swing and James followed Lily's example and got up walking with her back up to the house.

When they entered the kitchen there was a woman who Lily assumed was Mrs Potter as she had the same hazel eyes as James and light brown hair, which was put up with a clip at the back of her head, wearing a black wizards cloak.

"Ah there you are James was wondering where you had got to." Mrs Potter was looking at James as he walked over to the sink putting the two glasses into it. "And you must be Lily, we have heard a lot about you." Mrs Potter smiled while out of the corner of her eyes Lily saw James give his mum a look that clearly said 'I can't believe you just said that.'

"Yes I am Mrs Potter nice to finally meet you." Lily said politely.

"Oh tish tosh none of this Mrs Potter lark makes me feel old. Call me Moria." Moria was smiling lily.

"Ok Moria… well I have got to go home my Nan will be wanting to know where I am but it was nice to meet you." Lily said this to Moria.

"Well come around again your always welcome dear." Moria said this as Lily walked over to the door where James was waiting for her.

"I'm gonna walk Lily home be back in a bit." James Yelled to his mum as he opened the front door for Lily then followed her out.

"You don't have to walk me home, I only live down the hill."

"Miss Evans it will be my pleasure to walk you home." James bent down into a bow and offered his arm for Lily to take. Lily smiled and took the arm that James was holding out.

"You know it's a lot nicer walking down the hill then up…next time I think you should just give me a piggy back up the hill." Lily looked over at James fluttering her eyelashes, while James let out a laugh.

"You'll get used to it, but if it's too hard for little lilikins here I'll give you a piggy back." As James said this he pinched Lily's left check and imitating the sound of an old lady, which made Lily laugh. James defiantly wasn't as bad as she though he was.

All too soon Lily and James were walking up the path to her Nan's front door.

"Well thanks James I have had a wonderful day."

"It was no problem and if you want someone to talk to or to eat chocolate cake with night or day send me and owl and I'll come right on over." James laughed.

"Well I'll consider that when I'm feeling hungry but can't be bothered to go to the fridge. Good night James." Lily smiled at James as he was now starting to turn laughing.

"Night Lily." James waved as he started walking along the street back to his house.

Lily walked in the house and found her Nan standing over the old cooker that she refused to replace making mashed potatoes.

"Ah there you are. Was starting to get worried hadn't seen you all day." Pat looked over at Lily.

"Sorry I was round James's, next time I'll leave you note when I'm going to be out all day." Lily said to her Nan feeling guilty that she never thought to leave a note in the first place.

"Well what's done is done set the table will you love dinners going to be ready in a minute." Lily walked over the large mahogany cabinet that was behind the little mahogany table and got out the plate and cutlery ready for dinner.

After dinner Lily felt the tiredness from a day's running around start to catch up on her so rather then sitting down in front of the telly watching family fortunes with her Nan Lily made her way up to her bed room, got changed into a pair of green PJ's with monkeys on them before sitting down at her desk and writing a long deserved letter to Isabel.

'Hey Issy,

I'm sorry I haven't written or replied to your last letter it's been hard to tell you what has happened over the past week and a bit. You see my mum, dad and I were in a really bad car crash for some reason I was fine but well my dad didn't make it and mum is still in the hospital. Dad's funerals in two days time I can't believe that this had happened. Petunia was being her usual self though, blaming the whole thing on me, but for some reason this time her words don't bother me. I guess you just get too used to it after a while.

You wont believe whom I have become friends with though. The one and only James Potter, his not as bad as he is in school and his been here when I needed a shoulder to lean on, but I will fill you in with all of that gossip on the Hogwarts Express.

I hope that you are having a lovely time in Australia, remember to bring me back a kola. Speak to you soon.

Love

Lily xxx'

After finishing the letter and reading it over Lily rolled it up and called over her white owl Borrise and tied the letter onto his leg, while telling him where to deliver the letter, Borrise affectingly pecked lily on the finger before flying out of the window into the dusk on his mission to deliver the letter.

After watching Borrise flying off into the distance Lily let out a sigh and dragged herself over to her bed and laid down, but instead of feeling sleepy the only thing Lily could think about was James. She knew that he had spent that day keeping her occupied so that she wouldn't have the time to think about her parents or the up coming funeral, but the truth was Lily liked spending time with James. He made everything seem fun, and the way he always wore a smile in what ever he was doing. But there was still something in the back of Lily's mind that made her feel uneasy, what if he changed back to the old James when they got back to Hogwarts, but this was a risk that Lily was going to have to take if she wanted a summer with company rather then a summer of solitude and loneliness.

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Well here's Chapter 3 up, hope you like fours nearly finished so hopefully have it up next week. Please Review.

Lorna


	4. A Horrible Discovery

**Chapter 4 – A Horrible Discovery**

The next morning Lily woke up in high spirits, after yesterday Lily felt that she should would go back to the hospital and see her mum again. James was right if she did stop going and visiting and something did happen Lily would be regretting it for the rest of her life. Since Lily had been hanging around with James a weight felt like it had been lifted from her shoulders, someone was there to make her see what she couldn't see and was there to make her laugh and good at distracting her when she needed the diversion. Lily's usual want for being alone always seemed to evaporate whenever James was around and this scared Lily a little bit, it was taking away what felt like part of her security blanket.

After getting shower and dressed Lily walked down to the kitchen to where her Nan was standing facing the window that looked out to the garden and listening to the weather report on the television. The back garden was small but had not changed throughout the whole of Lily's childhood there was the garden table and chairs on the grass near the back door, where everyone would sit and eat their dinners while laughing and chatting away. At end of the garden were a swing set, slide and an old Wendy house, which Lily's granddad had built when petunia was young for her to play in. Lily's Nan's garden was always a place of fun and laughter, but at the moment the garden could be more opposite.

"I'm just off to the hospital to go and see mum, then I'm going to go round James's so I'll be back this evening." Lily finished her sentence as she got to the front door and was closing the door behind her.

"Wait…Lily.." Pat had turned around from the window and was now rushing to the front door to try and catch Lily but by the time that Pat had got to the front door and rushed across the front garden Lily had already made it down the street.

Walking along the pavement just past the local newsagents Lily saw James come out looking a little confused but smiled as soon as he saw Lily walking along.

"Hey Lils, what you up to today?" James asked Lily as jogged up next to her.

"Oh Hi James I'm just off to the hospital to see my mum." Lily replied slowing her pace down so that she could speak to James. James smiled.

"Do you need someone to go with you?" James asked sincerely looking over at Lily.

"No I'll be ok, I'll drop in to see you afterwards though if you would like."

"Yeah sure, besides I have your clothes that you left round mine yesterday still." James stopped by the bus stop and stood there waiting with Lily for the bus to arrive.

"Oh I totally forgot about them. That doesn't mean that you can throw me in the pool again though." James laughed and rolled his eyes, as the bus pulled up.

"Well I shall see you later." Lily said this to James as she stepped on the bus and went upstairs so that she could take her favourite seat upstairs and waved at James as the bus pulled away.

The journey to the hospital this time seemed shorter then ever and before Lily realised it the bus was stopping in front of the hospital. Walking down the stairs and stepping of the bus Lily stood for a moment looking at the dominating large white building in front of her and wondering why she turned down James's offer to come with her when she had the chance, but Lily took in a deep breath and exhaled to bring back her courage before she started walking towards the entrance doors. Once Lily got into the building she felt more determined that she was going to do this by herself and walked along the corridor until she came to the room 2B. The lights were not on in the room which puzzled Lily a little bit but without looking Lily threw open the door and walked into the room, when Lily looked up at the bed and for the first time noticing that the bed was empty, when all of a sudden a nurse walked into the room behind her.

"Excuse me dear what are you doing in here?" the nurse asked gently

"Where's my mum?" Lily asked like a five year old would ask her teacher on their first day at school. At that point in time Lily felt lost.

"Come on dear follow me." The nurse took Lily to a little room, which had three green padded chairs and the walls were painted in bright Yellow, which reflected the sunlight that was streaming in through the large window. Once Lily had seated herself into one of the chairs the nurse sat opposite her and Lily knew what the nurse was going to say, but at that moment in time it seemed too surreal.

"I'm afraid Rose passed away last night. I'm so sorry." The nurse looked at Lily with sympathy in her eyes while Lily just continued to look at the yellow wall in front of her. At that moment in time a yellow wall had never look so appealing. The words that had just been said by the nurse seemed so far away and distance and when the nurse walked out of the room telling Lily that she would give her a minute by herself Lily hardly heard. But instead of staying their looking at the wall Lily got up and walked out of the room, down the corridor and out of the hospital, without really realising that she was doing it. Lily felt numb and stood there looking at the bus stop and the housing estate opposite the hospital.

When Lily started walking again instead of waiting for the bus she walked straight past it and walked along the pavement in the direction back to her Nan's. Lily knew that it was a four and a half mile walk but at that moment in time all Lily wanted to do was walk, to walk and block out all the emotions that she had bottle up inside of herself, to walk and to try and walk away some of the sorrow that she was not feeling inside. Lily didn't know if she wanted to run, scream, shout or cry there were too many emotions running through her head at that moment in time to register.

Walking along looking up at the sky Lily could see the clear blue sky starting to disappear as grey clouds started to take over the once beautifully bright blue sky. The sky in the distance beyond the grey clouds Lily could see black menacing thunderclouds were gathering. Lily knew that there was supposed to be a thunderstorm from the weather report, which was playing in the kitchen that morning, but she never believed it. When was the weather forecast ever right from the television anyway? But Lily liked the rain it helped to wash away the sorrow and the pain, which she was feeling at that moment in time. Lily was welcoming the rain that was threatening to fall any moment.

Lily was only a mile from home when the large raindrops began to come down form the sky above, and within a minute Lily was soaked through, but this didn't stop lily from her walk in fact the more wet Lily got the better she felt. Looking down from the sky which Lily had been looking up at as the rain came pouring down Lily could see James's house about 100 meters in front of herself, but before she could stop herself Lily found her finger pressing the door bell and the door being opened by James who's smile faded from his face as he stood there taking in Lily's appearance. Lily's face was pale, her clothes and hair were soaked and some strands of hair were stuck to her cheeks, but what shocked James most was how lost and lonely Lily looked at that moment in time.

"Lily come in your soaked through." James said this as he guided Lily into the ballroom and pulled her into a tight embrace. Next thing Lily knew she was crying onto James's shoulder while he made small circles on her back and was making 'shhhing' noises while Lily for the first time since she found out that her mum had died cried out all the emotions she had in her. But without warning Lily pulled out of the embrace and was looking at James with anger suddenly visible in her eyes.

"_Why them. Why My Mum. Why My Dad_?" With each word that Lily shouted with all her might she hit James in the chest not stopping until James grabbed hold of Lily's fist in fear that she would never stop.

"Lily…Lily look at me calm down. I know it's not fair, I know that you need and want them here, I know that it hurts, I know that there are other people in the world who deserve to die, and I know I will never be able to give you the answers to your questions but you need to calm down." James looked deep into Lily's eyes as he said this and Lily's body shook as she let out a sob and then continued to cry uncontrollably once again into James shoulder as he pulled her back into a tight embrace.

Ten minutes later and lily had stopped crying but the lost look was still in evident in her eyes.

"Come on Lils lets go get you some dry clothes on and then I'll get Winki to make us some hot chocolate your freezing cold." James was saying this as he guided Lily, just as a parent would guide a child, up the stairs and along the corridors to his room, which had fewer items on the floor then the previous day, but this was lost on Lily all she noticed was that she was standing in James's bedroom and being guided towards the bathroom.

"Your cloths have been cleaned from yesterday here you go." James handed Lily her clothes and watched as she closed the door behind her. Letting out a sigh James took off his now soaking wet t-shit and threw it on top a an already large pile of dirty washing before walking over to the wardrobe picking up a new one and putting it on and then going over to his bed and sat down waiting for Lily to come out. Which took longer then James would have expected as ten minutes later Lily emerged but was still shivering. James pick up a red fluffy blanket before he led Lily back down stairs but instead of going into the kitchen James walked down a corridor which linked onto the ballroom and opened the second door which revealed a sitting room.

Inside the sitting room there were cream soft settees and comfortable looking chairs, the colour of the carpet matched that of the settees. The walls were wall papered in a terracotta colour with an orange boarder breaking up the solid colour. There was a grand fireplace on the main wall in front of the settee that could easily seat three, on the mantle place there was a large picture of James, Mrs and Mr Potter in a silver picture frame smiling and waving over at the two of them who had just entered the room.

James led Lily over to the largest settee and motioned for to sit down while he walked back out of the sitting room and made his way into the kitchen to get the hot chocolates.

"Hey Winki can I have two hot chocolates please?" James asked the house elf that was running around the kitchen.

"Yes of course master Potter." Winki screeched producing two steaming cups of hot chocolate. When James walked back into the sitting room he found Lily just staring at the photo on top of the mantle place.

"Here you go Lils." James put the hot chocolates on the table, which had somehow moved itself from the corner of the room to in front of the settee complete with coasters.

Sitting back down again next to Lily James put his arm back around her shoulders as Lily lent in and rested her head on James's shoulder. James took his free hand and picked up the blanked from next to him and put over the both of them before wrapping his free arm around Lily as well. They both sat there in silence, not an awkward silence but a welcoming one. Lily was happy just to be sitting there in James's comforting arms. She didn't want to speak at the moment all she wanted to do was sit there and never move again.

"Lil's it's getting late I think I should walk you home." James had just looked out of the window noticing the sun was slowly setting in the distance.

"Yeah, I told my Nan I wouldn't be too late home." James slowly took his arms from around Lily and stood up holding out his hand for Lily to take, Lily placed her hand in James's and allowed him to help her up from the settee.

"Wait here I'll be one minute." James said this as he ran out the room and from what Lily could hear it sounded like he had run up the main staircase. While waiting for James to come back down the staircase Lily picked up the now empty cups and took them into the kitchen.

"Winki will take them for you miss." Came the sound of the house elf, which had just rushed over to the door as it opened.

"Thank you Winki." Lily said handing over the cups to the little house elf that shuffled over to the sink.

"Lils where you gone?" Lily heard James calling from the sitting room. Walking out of the kitchen Lily could see James's head poke out from the sitting room.

"There you are! Here put this on it will keep you warm as we walk home." James had just handed Lily a green jumper that she gladly put on over her vest top.

"Thanks shall we go then?" Lily asked as she tugged at the sleeves of the jumper.

"Sure come on." James led the way across the ballroom and out of the front door. The rain clouds had totally disappeared and were now replaced with a clear starry summers sky. The paths were still damn from the rain that afternoon as then walked along, Lily could feel her toes occasionally getting wet through her flip flops that she was wearing.

"I'm sorry James for hitting you earlier I guess I just let my anger get the better of me I'm really sorry." Lily was looking straight into James eyes.

"Lils don't worry about it, but you know you can hit pretty hard when you want to… at least I now know not to get on the wrong side of you." James laughed. Lily admired James he always seemed to be able to make the smallest thing funny.

"Where did Lils come from?" Lily asked as they reached her Nan's porch. But before James could answer the door swung open and Lily found herself engulfed in a hug from her Nan.

"Lily I was so worried I tried to tell you before you left but by the time I got to the door you were out of ear shot…oh I'm so sorry. You shouldn't have had to find out that way."

"Nan I'm fine really, I'm fine." Lily gave a small smile as Pat looked at Lily.

"And you must be _The_ James Potter." Pat said as she looked over to James who was standing there not knowing if he should walk away or stay where he was standing.

"Yes, nice to meet you ma'am." James replied politely.

"Well come on in, come on in, I was just about to dish up some dinner would you like to stay for dinner?" Pat asked James who was looking at Lily for confirmation that it was ok to stay. So after she gave him a large smile and a nod of his head he accepted the invitation and followed Pat through the front door.

"And it's Pat none of this Ma'am rubbish." Pat told James as he followed them into the kitchen where Lily was already getting out the plates and cutlery and setting up the table for three people, while Pat was fussing around with the pots and pans.

"Take a seat." Lily told James as she put down the last fork on to the table before taking a seat next to James, looking over to him and a thankful smile. In return James grabbed Lily's hand from under the table and gave it a little squeeze, yet surprisingly when James when to take his hand back Lily held it tight. Lily didn't understand why but whenever she held James's hand of put her head on his shoulder she felt secure and the worries of the moment seemed to lessen slightly.

"Well I hope you like sausages and mash." Pat said this as she piled the plates with creamy mash potatoes and sausages. Reluctantly Lily let go of James's hand and began to pick at her own dinner in front of her.

"Come on Lily you have to eat a little bit, I bet you haven't eaten all day." Pat looked over at Lily and broke the silence, which was looming over the table.

"I'm just not that hungry." Lily mumbled but picked up a small forkful of mash potatoes and put it into her mouth, to keep her Nan happy.

After everyone had finished eating Pat took the plates and put them into the sink while Lily showed James into her Nan's front room, which was completely covered in old photo's of people in Lily's family, behind the many photos and pictures in frames pale flowery wall paper could be seen. The settees were also floral and everywhere you looked there were books and items piled up. Lily's Nan was one of those people that kept everything; nothing was too meaningless to be binned. In the pile of books next to the settee that seated three Lily could just see a picture that she drew when she was five coming out from under a book.

"How about we play a board game, rather then sitting there in front of the television." Pat asked as she walked into the room carrying with her a red coloured battered box, which looked like the old Monopoly set.

"Sure Nan, I'm up for beating you all at a little game of Monopoly." Lily poked James in the side as she said this, her sprits slightly rising as the game would give her a chance to forget about everything that was still going through her mind.

"Hey! How do you play this Mono whatsit then?" James asked Lily, who was now helping Pat set up the game.

"Monopoly! Well the aim of the game is to buy properties and then build up on them when you get the complete set. The person who is still playing at the end wins. Here's your money that you start with, what playing piece do you want to be?" Lily was sitting her self so that she was close to James.

"I'll take umm the car." James said from the pieces show before him, as Lily placed the piece on the starting square.

An hour later and the game were getting fierce, Lily had managed to collect the whole of the yellow, purple and Pink set, While James had gone for the trains, green and blue sets, Pat had managed to secure the oranges and browns, but was currently managing to land on everyone's properties to bankrupt her self excitingly, Pat was used to this though never in all her years of playing Monopoly had she came close to winning once.

"How about I go get some chocolate éclairs and some lemonade?" Pat asked as she got up from her chair and walked out into the kitchen.

"What you have got to be joking! No way do I owe you that £1400!" James had exclaimed to Lily as he landed on Mayfair, which unluckily for him had four houses on.

"Read it an weep," Lily showed James the card just to prove her point, so James reluctantly handed over his money.

"Pleasure doing business with you." Lily said this as she fanned the money she had just taken from James in front of her face smiling.

"Don't worry James you won't be the only one to loose against her, I think she has only ever lost this game once. I still remember her sulking." Pat was laughing as she walked in carrying in a tray full with chocolate éclairs, and three glasses of lemonade.

Half an hour later and James was left with £12 and two train stations left unmorgaged, but once again James landed on Mayfair and the game was now over Lily had indeed won and was now looking at James saying, "I won nah nah." Over and over again which caused James to laugh and notice for the first time the bit of chocolate the Lily had on her nose from eating one of the éclairs.

"You know you have chocolate on your nose." James asked Lily as she took his hand and wiped it off her nose.

"Thanks." Lily yawned before leaning her head on James's shoulder, and James instinctively placed his arm around her shoulder, and by the time Pat had come back into the sitting room after washing up the plates and glasses Lily was sleeping peacefully on James shoulder. James didn't want to move in case he woke her, but he knew that he had to go home.

"Do you think you will be able to carry her up to her bed for me James? She will needs all the rest she can get" Pat sighed as James had slowly laid Lily down on the couch and got up onto his feet.

"Sure which room?" James asked as he put one hand under the sleeping Lily's neck and the other under her knees and lifted her up gently from the couch and pulling her in close to his chest.

"It's the middle one." Pat told James as he started to walk up the stairs. Pushing the door open with his foot James walked into a pale purple room, which had a small white wardrobe, and desk along one wall and on the other side of the room was a bed, which had a polka dot duvet cover on it. James carefully moved back the covers so that he didn't wake Lily, before placing her on the bed and pulling the covers back up over her. Looking down at the peacefully sleeping form now tucked up in bed James smiled before leaning down and kissing Lily on the forehead.

"Night Lily." James whispered before straightening up and walking out of the room, quietly closing the door behind him and walking back down the stairs.

"Lily's all tucked up in bed, I'm going to head of home it's got pretty late." James told Pat who was now standing at the bottom of the stairs.

"Why don't you come to the funeral tomorrow, I know that Lily would like you there and that way Lily will have a little more support that I'm sure she will need to get herself through it." Pat was saying this her crystal blue eyes looking at the picture of lily that was hanging on the wall behind James.

"I would love to be there for Lily. Just tell me where and when." James smiled there was nothing he would rather do then be there to support Lily through one of the hardest things she was going to go through.

"The service is at 2pm at the local church." Pat gave James a thankful smile as she opened the front door for him.

"Well good night." James said as he started to walk down the garden path and down the pavement back home.


	5. The Funeral

Chapter 5 – Saying Goodbye 

Lily awoke the following morning with the feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach. Today was the day of her parent's funeral, the day in which the truth must sink in, and a day, which Lily was petrified to face alone. Her mind was constantly asking why she didn't ask James to come with her, why didn't she try and seek the comfort that she felt in his arms.

Heaving a sigh and slowly getting up from her bed, Lily headed straight for the shower, without even realising where her feet were taking her. Her whole body seemed to be on autopilot; Lily's mind was blank blocking out the world around her. Getting undressed and stepping into the shower Lily let the hot water flow over her head and wash away some of the sorrow she was feeling, if there was not going to be any rain then shower water would have to do lily thought to her self. Thirty minutes later Lily got out from the shower and went back to her room and saw for the first time that day the black dress that was hanging from her wardrobe. The dress by all accounts was lovely, it was a dress, which had thin shoulder straps that could be taken off if she wanted to, and the dress once Lily had mounted the courage to put it on came down to just past her knees. Looking into the mirror Lily took a piece of black ribbon that was laying on the desk and tied up her hair into a pony tail, and then finding a pair of black kittened heeled shoes which flower details going across the front in the leather to put on her feet. Lily stood looking in the mirror when there was a knock on her bedroom door, which at that moment in time seemed a million miles away.

"Lily honey, you look lovely. Petunia and Vernon are already down stairs, come down and say hello." Pat looked at Lily knowing that talking to Petunia and Vernon was the last thing that she wanted to do, but as Lily looked at the pleading look on her Nan's face Lily turned away from the mirror and walked over to the door and followed Pat silently down the stairs and into the little sitting room.

"Morning Petunia. Morning Vernon." Lily said quietly speaking for the first time that day, her voice still seemed so far away.

"Morning." Petunia replied stiffly, Lily could tell that Petunia didn't want to speak to her and more evidently that there was something that she wanted to say but seemed to be holding it back.

"How about I make us some tea." Pat said this looking at the room, which was full of tension and walked out into the kitchen. Petunia took this as her chance to say what she had burning inside of her.

"Listen Freak I want nothing to do with you after today. Nothing! It's your fault mum and dad are dead. It was only because of them that I put up with your freakiness!" Petunia was saying this in a sharp whisper afraid that Pat would be listening in from the doorway. Lily made no reply but just stood there staring at a photo of Petunia, Rose, Sam and herself when she was five, and they were all running around with water pistols in the back garden on a hot summers day. In her heart Lily knew that this moment would come, it was no secret that they didn't get along with one and another, but she couldn't believe that Petunia had said this on the day of the funeral. The only words that Lily could get out was "ok" before she took a seat furthest away from the other two occupants, just as Pat came in carrying a tray of tea and biscuits, which everyone drank in silence.

An hour later and there was a knock at the door, and everyone sat up and looked out of the window in the sitting room, which faced the road at the font of the house. Parked outside the house were two black hearses with the coffins and behind a black limousine. Slowly everyone got up and walked over to the vase on the dinner table and picked up the flowers for the funeral and then walked out of the house and took their seats in the limousine.

Lily was staring out of the window of the black limousine that was following the two hearses carrying her mums and dad's coffins. To stare out of the window meant that she couldn't see the truth of what was really happening, the truth Lily thought could come later, later when everyone had gone, and when she could sit down and morn without everyone's eyes of pity upon her. As Lily started out of the window she could see people that her parents knew standing around and flashing looks of pity when they saw Lily looking out of the window, but after ignoring the looks of everyone Lily noticed someone standing where the limousine stopped and looked straight into their eyes with a look of relief mixed with thanks. None other then James Potter was waiting there for her, and this alone took a little of the dread she was housing away, knowing that she now wouldn't be facing it alone with only her Nan. As soon as the door was opened Lily jumped out and walked straight over to James who instantly pulled her into a hug.

"I'm here for you Lily as long as you need me." James whispered into Lily's ear and kissed her on her forehead before Lily pulled out of the hug and took James's hand instead, as they followed the coffins and took a seat on the first row of chairs. On top of the coffins were now pictures of Lily's mum and another of her dad on the respectable coffins, smiling and looking at the people in front of them. Lily hated this and as the vicar began to speak all Lily could think about was going up to the coffins and turning the pictures face down, it was as though they were taunting Lily being happy, and not sad. By all rights the pictures should have been sad ones.

When Petunia went up to the front of the congregation to say a few words about their parents Lily could hardly hear what she was saying, her mind was becoming blank again, Lily knew that she would soon have to go up there and read a poem, before she knew it James gave her hand a tight squeeze signalling that it was Lily's turn to go up and say something. Lily turned to look at James with obvious fright and worry on her face but James gave her a reassuring smile, so Lily got slowly up reluctantly giving James back his hand and walked up to the spot Petunia had been standing moments ago.

"THERE'S no use in weeping,  
Though we are condemned to part:  
There's such a thing as keeping  
A remembrance in one's heart:

There's such a thing as dwelling   
On the thought ourselves have nurs'd,  
And with scorn and courage telling  
The world to do its worst.

We'll not let its follies grieve us,  
We'll just take them as they come;  
And then every day will leave us  
A merry laugh for home.

When we've left each friend and brother,  
When we're parted wide and far,  
We will think of one another,  
As even better than we are.

Every glorious sight above us,  
Every pleasant sight beneath,  
We'll connect with those that love us,  
Whom we truly love till death !

In the evening, when we're sitting  
By the fire perchance alone,  
Then shall heart with warm heart meeting,  
Give responsive tone for tone.

We can burst the bonds which chain us,  
Which cold human hands have wrought,  
And where none shall dare restrain us  
We can meet again, in thought. 

So there's no use in weeping,  
Bear a cheerful spirit still;  
Never doubt that Fate is keeping  
Future good for present ill! "

Lily had read the poem without looking up from the piece of paper, but as Lily said each word she could barely hear the words coming out of her own mouth. Once she had finished reading Lily quickly retreated back to her seat next to James who held onto Lily's hand once more. The rest of the serviced passed once again in a blur, with Lily once again looking up at the two smiling photos. Lily noticed the vicar going back up and saying a few words, and knew that everyone had got up to sing a hymn, and before long it was time to take the flowers which Lily had forgotten she was still holding and place them on top of the two coffins. So slowly walking up Lily placed a red rose on her mums coffin and a bright yellow sunflower on her dad's, before returning back to her seat once more. Lily knew that now after the vicar had finished speaking the coffins would be taken away and this was the bit she was dreading the most. Out the corner of her eye Lily could see her Nan crying into the shoulder of a family friend, but Lily had yet to shed a tear, not one. But as soon as the coffins were taken away and the reality that her parents were defiantly not going to jump out of the coffins and say it was all a bad joke, Lily began to cry. Tears were now freely falling from her eyes and James instantly took Lily into a full hug and let her cry everything she had been holding in through out the service.

Once Lily walked out of the church now holding James's hand Lily could see the door of the limousine being opened for them to enter, without letting go of James's hand Lily walked over and pulled James into the seat next to her, Pat sat just behind them and at the very back was Petunia and Vernon. Once everyone was seated, the car started moving Lily placed her head on James's shoulder as he put a comforting arm around her, and all too soon they had reached where the wake was being held at the local village pub.

Inside the pub there were lots of little tables which seated four to six people and wooden chairs which had red velvet cushions to sit on, in the far corner was the bar where a young woman wearing black trousers and a white shirt was serving beer to a man who had his elbow perched on the edge of the bar. All the round people were starting to sit down with drinks and talking away to other people in the room, as though the funeral had never happened. Lily managed to find a table in a corner of the pub behind a large plant to sit, while James went off to buy Lily and him a glass of coke from the bar. Lily didn't want to be seen, and was not in the mood to talk to everyone around her, they all seemed to be having happy conversations about work and what they had been up to lately, and that was the last thing that Lily could think of talking about at that moment in time.

"Here you go Lils. One diet coke with a slice of lemon, it's not butter beer but it will have to do." James sat down opposite Lily smiling at her.

"Thanks James, I'm glad you came today, I really needed it." Lily said this now looking at the slice of lemon that was moving around in the glass.

"Yes, well it wasn't like I had anything else on today so I though why not!" James was now laughing at the shocked look on Lily's face. Her mouth was slightly open and her eyebrows had risen as far up her forehead as possible.

"Oh thanks and there was me thinking that you were being all nice and caring ha." Lily was trying not to let the edges of her mouth twist up into a smile but one look at James and Lily was smiling, and it felt so nice, just to smile and forget everything that had happened throughout the day. To be having conversations like everyone else in the room. But the smile on Lily's face disappeared just as quick as it appeared when people sitting on the table next to them, hidden by the large plant started talking loudly.

"She was a lovely lady was Rose, always a pleasure to work with, nothing was too much for her you know." A man was standing next to the edge of the table and saying to the four people who were sitting around the table.

"I know what you mean, always had a smile on her face, but her youngest daughter is a spitting image of her." A woman was now telling the table at large.

James now looked at the pained look on Lily's face, the talk of her mum was obviously something that she wasn't ready for, so without speaking James got up from his seat and grabbed Lily's hand and making her follow him out of the pub and back into the cool breeze of the afternoon.

"You looked like you could do with getting out of there, and to be honest I don't blame you on such a glorious day." James was now running before jumping up into the air with his legs going to the sit of him and hitting his ankles at the same time.

"James you idiot come back here." Lily smiles running down the road to catch him up, this was proving to be difficult in her kitten heeled shoes, which every now and then her food would slip out of.

"I resent that! I'm not an idiot!"

"How about dim-witted instead?" Lily asked this innocently looking up at James. Who was trying to look offended by it was proving difficult with the edges of his mouth twitching up into a smile.

"Can I escort you to the bench yaunder over by thy pond?" James bowed down and held out his arm for Lily to take.

"You may kind sir."

Sitting on the wooden bench that over looked a little duck pond which had an island in the middle, where a house had been build for the ducks to go at night. At the moment there were 6 small ducks swimming around in the water and occasionally looking over at Lily and James, as to check if they were going to start throwing in old bits of bread for them to eat. Lily and James were both just sitting there watching the ducks on the lake, until two children and their parents walked over the lake near where Lily and James were sitting and started throwing in bread to the ducks.

"Look mummy there's lots of em today." Said the little girl looking over at the ducks.

"How many's a lot?"

"Umm one…two…three…four…five…six…SIX." The little girl shouted after she had finished counting them all up.

"That's my girl!"

Lily was looking at the family which had just come near them with a sad smile on her face, James had turned his head to look at Lily and put an arm around her shoulders, before Lily put her head comfortably on James's shoulder still looking at the family, until the children had finished feeding the ducks and walked away talking happily about what they had just been doing.

"My mum, dad, petunia and I used to come and feed the ducks when I was little, we used to stand on the bank throwing bread to the ducks, counting them together and running around the pond trying to see if we missed feeding any of them." Lily was still facing the pond while she was talking in a soft voice. "I remember once we came in the spring time to see the baby ducks and to feed them, as we were doing our lap around the lake my dad decided he would join us. He slipped on a bit of mud, and went flying into the water. I remember my mum rushing over thinking that it was Petunia or I that had fallen in, but when she saw it was my dad getting out of the pond soaking wet she hit him on the arm for scaring her so much." Lily was now smiling with the memory's of coming to the pond with her family was coming back to her. James was sitting there listening and thinking on how similar something like that had happened to Sirius once.

"It's funny isn't it, I mean who would have thought that eleven years later Petunia and I would hate each other's guts and my parents gone." Lily had a small tear running down her cheek.

"Lils, it's not your fault that your sister will not accept your wonderful talents and skills, you're the smartest person in Hogwarts behind me of course. I can't ever bring your parents back but if I could I would, I'd do anything to take away the hurt which you're feeling." James said this looking out now as the ducks started heading towards their house as the early evening sun started shining.

"Thank you James." Lily smiled up looking at James's face "It's all I seem to be saying at the moment isn't?"

"Anytime Lils Anytime…Come on how about some chips you haven't eaten all day and I'm not going to let you start wasting away…besides I haven't eaten for like five hours." James started getting up from the bench and waited for Lily to get up from the bench to join him.

"How have you been managing not eating on the hour every hour. I know you sneak down to the kitchen's at Hogwarts to steel food, how did you ever find out where the kitchens were?"

"Ahhhh a maunderous secret I'm afraid dear Lilian." James looked over and winked at Lily before walking into the chip shop.

"Hello there what can I do you for?" The man asked behind the counter.

"Two portions of chips open please and two cokes." James asked the man stuffing his hand in his pocket to take out some money, out of the corner of his eye James could see Lily pulling out some money from a purse that he didn't even realise that had been on her shoulder as it was so small.

"Put that away Lily its on me."

"But…"

"No but's put it away." Lily did as she was told and put the money, which she had been taking out of her purse back in it again before closing it with a click.

"Here you go young man."

"Cheers" James told the man behind the counter as he handed over a bag of chips to Lily and walked out of the door carrying the drinks and his own bag of chips, and followed Lily who was walking back over to the bench by the pond. The ducks had all disappeared from the pond and instead the sun was being reflecting an orange glow onto the water.

"How comes the ducks go away when I have food to feed them?" James asked looking all over the pond hoping to find at least one that he could feed. "It's something I have never done before."

"We'll come back another day then you can feed the ducks." Lily said this although she was speaking to a five year old and patting James on his arm, James just looked at Lily with a wide smile.

Once they had finished eating Lily got up from the bench and turned round to look at James who was a little puzzled as to why Lily had stood up.

"My Nan's going to need my support tonight I don't want her to sit in doors by herself." Lily said this looking down at James.

"Well then I better get you home then." James stood up and the two started walking up the street, Lily's Nan's house was about a mile away from where they were currently walking. But the walk was not a dull one with James running every now and then doing his jump and grabbing his ankle. Lily tried to do this too but found that her shoes went flying into the road, and James ran and retrieved them for her before they carried on walking towards an upcoming steep hill.

"You know I strongly believe that my Nan didn't think this through when she brought her house." Lily said this when she was a quarter of the way up the hill. Her feet were hurting, the backs of her heels hurt from where her shoes had been rubbing and all in all she was exhausted. Today had been a very long day for Lily with her emotions that had been flying all over the place.

"Here, jump up." James had turned round and bent his knees so that Lily could jump up on his back. Lily didn't need asking twice. So taking off her shoes and holding them in her hands Lily jumped up onto James back putting her arms over his shoulders. "Better?"

"Extremely." James just smiled as they talked the rest of the way towards Lily's new home. When they got to the front porch.

"Here you are madam." James said this as he let Lily slide down his back and onto the wooden porch.

"Thanks James, I know I keep saying it but it meant a lot you being there today." Lily hugged James and without having to stand up on her toes lily kissed James on the cheek.

"I was happy to be there Lily. Well have a good night and remember if you want anything at all send me and owl." James said this smiling at Lily who smiled back and opened the front door going inside the house.

James left Lily's house feeling the happiest he had been, not only had he made a strong friendship with Lily now, rather then a shouting match every time he saw her, but for Lily to kiss him was something that made his stomach flutter.

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

The poem was called Parting by Charlotte Bronte, hope you enjoyed please review.

Lorna


	6. After the Funeral

Chapter 6 – After the funeral 

Over the next few days the weather was warm but rain poured down from the sky, Lily had spent half of the first day of the rain standing outside in the garden and hoped that it would wash away the sadness and wash away all the nightmares that she was having every time she laid down to sleep. Every time Lily closed her eyes to sleep, since the funeral, she would see the images of the car crashing; hear her mother and father screaming then a deathly silence. Other dreams were worse, it was after the accident and now they were all in hospital and her father walks into her hospital room and tells Lily that it is all her fault that they must die, and how Petunia was right, Lily was a freak.

After being soaked through and Lily's tears had mixed with the rain she went back indoors to dry off and sit in a bay window, and look out at the rain as it came pouring down. Lily had barely spoken to her Nan since the funeral, Pat was keeping herself busy and burying herself into tiding up her house and sorting through the piles and boxes of items where were all over the house in order to have room for all of Lily's belongings that at the moment were mostly in the garage. As where Lily's new day time activity was to sit and watch the rain, or look through the old photographs that Pat had hung up all over the house. Most of the photos were of Petunia, Rose, Sam and Lily, unlike the magical ones that Lily was now accustomed to looking at where the people would walk in and out of the frames and talk to you, these ones just remained still, with Lily wishing that they would move, wave or acknowledge her in some way or another.

Lily was disturbed from her thoughts when an owl started tapping at the window with a letter tied to its leg. Lily instantly opened the window to let in the wet owl and untied the letter as the bird held out its leg, before the owl gave a hoot and flew back out of the window and out into the rain.

Lily took her seat looking out of the bar window and opened the letter knowing full well that it would be from Isabel.

"_Lily,_

_I can't believe that this has happened to you, I mean I loved your parents, they were always so kind, caring and loving towards me each time that I came round to stay. I'm in shock I really have no words to describe how shocked I am, and I'm really, really, really sorry that I couldn't be there with you at the funeral. But if you need me for anything, ANYTHING Lily owl me and I'll come straight home to be with you, and I'll even remember to quickly pick up your kola before I rush back. _

_Nice to know that Petunia is being her nice old self, but Lily **do not** listen to a word that she says. You know it's not true. You're 100 times better then she is and she doesn't like it! There I said it! As for this with James Potter you are soooo going to have to fill me in on that one, the guy that you despise, the same guy that you told was the most self conceited, egotistic, big headed person alive and that there was more chance of you going on a holiday with Snape and date the giant squid then EVER date him or be in the same room for longer then need be? _

_Again I am sooooo sorry Lily for your loss but please keep your head up and remember them for the wonderful people they were, and not the way that they left this life. I know they wouldn't want that!_

_Love and Big Hugs_

_Issy XXXXXXXX "_

After reading the letter from Isabel Lily knew that she was right, her parents wouldn't want her to remember them for how they left this life, they would indeed rather she remembered the fun that they had and all the happy memories. Isabel was the only person who Lily confided everything too, the only person other then James Potter that had ever seen her cry and the only person other then James who could make her laugh, with on simple look. Thinking about it there was a lot of similarities between the friendship that Lily had with Isabel and the friendship that had quickly grown between Lily and James. Something that Lily would never in a million years would have expected, but now that she was a friend with James she would never change it for the world.

Now shaking her head from the thoughts that were running through her head Lily noticed that the rain had stopped pouring down and the day had now gone into the late evening. After noticing the time Lily's stomach gave a startling growl and Lily got up from her seat and made her way into the kitchen to find something to eat. It had been a shock to Lily that her Nan hadn't been cooking her usual large amounts of mash potatoes and large quantities of chocolate éclairs. This had meant that Lily was mainly eating pasta or sandwiches, not being in the mood to cook dinners. Lily took her ham sandwich to her room and sat down, picking up a random book and started to read. But before long Lily knew it her eyes were dropping and she fell asleep slumped over her book, and for the first night since the funeral Lily had a night of light nightmares.

The next morning Lily woke up with a pain going down her neck, she felt stiff from falling asleep over her book and slowly rubbing her neck Lily looked out of the window and up at the morning sky. The sun was starting to rise, and not a rain cloud in site. Getting up from her seat Lily headed off to the shower hoping that the hot water would take away some of the stiffness of her neck and shoulders, which Lily had noticed once she had begun to walk to the shower. 10 minutes later Lily was showered and getting herself dried and dressed ready for another day of sitting looking out of the window to the world around her. She hadn't sent an owl to James since the funeral, he had done so much for her already that it felt the right thing to let him be, and have fun with his friends. In Lily's mind he must have more important things to do then sit around with an emotional, boring person.

Lily finished getting dressed pulling on a black pair of shorts and an emerald green t-shirt, before walking down into the kitchen to pour herself a bowl of corn flakes and sat down at the table looking around at the kitchen thinking how it was the cleanest that she had ever seen it before in her life. But Lily was once again pulled out from these thoughts by a tapping at the window. Looking up quickly from the kitchen, to the window and heaved herself out of the chair before opening the window and letting the brown owl fly into the kitchen and sit down on the table, holding out its leg for Lily to take the letter which was tied to it.

Sitting back down Lily took off the letter and tore open the seal.

"_Hey Lils,_

_What ya up to today? If you are free and willing how would you like to come over for lunch and I dunno play a game of chess or something. Send a reply back with Lusina so I can let Winki know she's got company coming or not._

_Yours,_

_James_

_X"_

Lily quickly grabbed a piece of paper, which was lying on the kitchen table and wrote a note to James.

_Hey James,_

_I would love to come to yours for lunch and hangout with you. I shall see you soon._

_Lily x_

After completing the letter lily rolled it up and tied it onto the awaiting birds leg before going back to her cornflakes, and observations of the kitchen.

………………………………………………………………………………………….

Well there's chapter 6, sorry it's a short chapter but I needed it to link the previous with the next chapter.

Lorna


	7. Lunch at James's

**Chapter 7 – Lunch at James's **

At about mid day Lily decided that it was time to leave her house and take the short walk to James's, so putting on her sandals and leaving a note on the kitchen table telling her Nan where she was going, Lily walked out of the front door and along the street.

Reaching James's house slightly out of breath from the walk up the hill, Lily rang the doorbell and within seconds the door burst open with James standing where the door once was.

"Hey Lils." James stepped aside to let Lily in "How you feeling?" James said this with concern in his voice.

"I'm ok, I guess." Lily shrugged as she followed James into the kitchen where Winki was rushing around with plates of food.

"I did tell Winki only a small lunch, but well I think she went a little over the top. Maybe she thought it was Sirius who was coming round." James said this looking at the kitchen table, Lily looked over to where James was looking and on the table were already a large plate of sandwiches, chocolate éclairs, pies, sausage rolls and a large bowl of crisps.

"Well at least we wont go hungry!" Lily said her eyes wide, thinking how was she ever going to eat that much food.

"Shall we start eating our way through a feast then?" James said guiding Lily over to one of the many empty seats, and taking a seat opposite and taking a couple of sandwiches from the pile.

"So what have you been up to for the past couple of days?" James asked while grabbing a warm sausage roll and offering Lily, who took one and put it on her plate.

"Looking at the family photo's that my Nan has scattered everywhere. She's been really weird really, not talking just putting all her efforts into cleaning up the house."

"It's just probably the way your Nan deals with grief, like you deal with it looking out at the rain and looking at old photos, you Nan probably likes to keep busy." James was looking at Lily with his soothing Hazel eyes.

"I didn't…how did you…how did you know I was sitting at the window looking out at the rain."

"Lils, I know you too well, I've seen you and Isabel twirling and running around in the rain a million times, from the common room window." James smiled looking at Lily's shocked reaction and chuckling. "Kindda makes me wonder how you can manage to have the energy to run around, but not walk up a little hill!"

"Oi" Lily threw a sausage roll from her plate at James's head, but he caught it before it hit him with his reflexes from Quidditch practise and dropped it onto his own plate.

"You know me too well do you? Ok then what else is true about me?" Lily challenged looking over at James who now had a cheeky smile on his face.

"Well I know how you hate the idea of flying, how you never wear matching socks because it's bad luck, and how you always suck your bottom lip w/hen your concentrating or nervous." James was looking at Lily the whole time he spoke looking at her reaction of shock.

"How do you know all that?" Lily asked in amazement. James just winked at Lily

"Maunderous secret, plus did you really think that you were that invisible?" James asked looking over at Lily.

"Well, I didn't notice that I had a stalker no." Lily had grabbed another sausage roll and launched it across the table at James's head. The sausage roll nearly hit its target, but James moved his head to the other side and the sausage roll hit the window behind him.

"You know you don't have to keep throwing things at me. Besides we both know that it will never hit me." James smirked "Well do you fancy a game of wizarding chess, make a change to play with someone other then Sirius or Remus."

"Sure, but well I have never really played it before so your gonna have to explain it to me as we play."

"What! Never! That's an outrage!" James said the dramatically throwing his arms everywhere. "Shall I meet you in the sitting room, just going to run and get the chess set."

Lily got up from the table and made her way to the sitting room while James was skipping across the ballroom to the stairs, like a five-year-old child. Walking into the sitting room Lily sat down on the large white sofa, which was opposite the fireplace and picked up a book that was lying on the chair, which James must have left there, as it was Quidditch through the ages. Having nothing else to do Lily started flicking through the book, watching the pictures of famous players zooming around in the pictures. Lily had got so engrossed in the book that she didn't notice the sound of someone doing a fake caught to get her attention.

When Lily finally did notice the noise, Lily looked up from the book.

"Whaaaaaaa…" Lily had jumped up out of the seat in shock, and dropped the book onto the floor, looking back into the fire where the fake coughing had come from, there was now a head in the flames, which was laughing and trying to catch its breath.

"Well I can't say that I have ever had a welcome quiet like that before!" The head in the flames was saying this with a chuckle in his voice.

"Hey Padfoot, what can I do for you?" James asking walking into the room, then looking at Lily whose mouth was opening and closing. James was thinking that Lily was doing a brilliant impression of a fish.

"It's ok Lils, it's only Padfood, and I guess you have never seen someone talking from a fire before." James said this trying to hold in a laugh.

"Well it's not something I'm accustomed to, no." Lily was talking to James but still staring into the fire with the initial shock over.

"Well Prongs, I was just letting you know that I'll be over tonight to stay for the rest of the summer, Mum's gone absolutely mad, I can't take it anymore!" Sirius was saying this with his voice getting more and more high pitched.

"Sure, mum's been expecting you for ages."

"Right well I'm going to go and pack, see you in a couple of hours. Have fun you two. Don't do anything I wouldn't do." Sirius said this with a smirk before his head disappeared from the fire, just in time as Lily was about to kick the head that was once there.

"I like to see that he _NEVER_ changes." Lily emphasised the never as she took a seat on the floor opposite James who had already started to set up the chess set. "So how do all these things move then?" Lily was looking down at the many different pieces in front of her.

"Right well there are six different players so to speak, your Pawn which can go forwards and sideways, your King that can move one square in any direction, your Queen which can move as many squares as she wants in any direction, the Bishops which can move as many squares as they want diagonally, the Knight which can move in an L shape and finally your Rook which can go up or to the side in as many squares as it like. You got all that." James looked at the confident look on Lily's face, after he had pointed out each of the different playing pieces.

"Yep I got it, it can't be that hard!" Lily said this with confidence but the reality was that she was still a little confused on how some of the pieces moved, but Lily decided that the best way to play.

"You can't do that!" James screeched as Lily moved the king three spaces away from James Queen, which had it in check.

"Why not?" Lily asked innocently looking up into James's large warm hazel eyes.

"That look wont work on me." James said this pointing a finger at Lily. "Just face it you lost."

"Fine." Lily huffed just as there was a loud crashing noise coming from the ballroom.

"What the" James started.

"Honey I'm home." A voiced shouted from the ballroom and James laughed before getting up from the floor and motioning Lily to follow him as he rushed into the ballroom where Sirius was standing.

"Hey Padfood, though you would have been quicker then that." James laughed. Lily just stood there, feeling like she was intruding. Lily had never really spoken to Sirius before, and didn't know what to say.

"Ahh Lillian, no screams of welcome this time, made a nice change." Sirius said this walking over to her and throwing his arm around her shoulders. Lily looked up at Sirius with her eyebrows raised.

"I'm sorry I'm all screamed out, and I'm not your personal leaning post." Lily said this shrugging off Sirius's arm, which made Sirius laugh.

"So Lillian what are you doing here, I mean a few months a go I remember you telling ol' prongsie here that his ego was too big for both of you to be in a room for longer then what 5 minutes!" Sirius laughed, and taking in the sheepish look on Lily's face, who was trying to think of a way of telling Sirius why she was in James's house.

"Well…Well I was wrong, James isn't such an egotistic, bullying, cunning, idiot as I thought he was." Lily said this looking past Sirius at the fire.

"Well there's no need to keep repeating my many faults…you could have just said that James Potter is the best person in the world. " James did a look of mock outrage.

"Come on all three of us know that's not true." Lily returned which had Sirius in fits of laughter.

"She's got you their Prongs." As Sirius finished his sentence and was wiping the tears out of his eyes, Mrs and Mr Potter appriated into the ballroom.

"O it's getting a bit busy in here, Ah Sirius I see your back." Mr potter said this walking over to Sirius and clapping him on the back. Lily could see where James got his messy black hair from; Mr Potters was just the same as his, and also had the same hazel eyes, James was a spitting image of his father. "And I'm guessing that you must be Lily." Mr Potter said this now looking at Lily.

"Yes I am Mr Potter." Lily said politely

"Mr Potter, now now none of that, makes me feel old." Mr Potter laughed. "It's Henry if you don't mind." Henry smiled over at Lily.

"Ah Lily, why don't you stay for dinner, the boys can walk you home afterwards." Moria said over to Lily as she took off her travelling cloak and hung it up in the cloakroom, which was hidden behind a door Lily had never seen before.

"Er ok thanks Moria."

"Not a problem, well why don't you three go out and get some fresh air while I get dinner done." Moria said this as she walked into the kitchen.

"How about a game of Quiddich?" Sirius asked excitedly jumping on the spot.

"Sure." James was sounded excited at the prospect of going flying he hadn't been on his broom for at least thee weeks. "HEY DAD, you wanna come and play?" James asked his dad who was walking away to the sitting room.

"Nah I'll leave you three to it, I have some papers to look over."

"Last one down to the pitch is a rotten egg!" And without warning James and Sirius sprinted across the ballroom and out into the garden, it took Lily a moment to register what had just happened when she decided to walk and meet them down at the pitch.

"Ah, they are a bit of a handful when they're together, but there good kids." Moria said to Lily as she walked into the kitchen. "If you just walk straight you'll make it down to the pitch."

"Thanks Moria." Lily said as she walked into the garden and made her way down to the pitch, which seemed miles away.

When Lily did make it to the pitch James and Sirius were already on their brooms and flying around. Lily noticed that there was a wooden bench on the sidelines to the pitch, and went over to sit and watch the two in the air, hoping that they would be having too much fun to notice her sitting there. The last thing Lily wanted was to go up on a broom. But unfortunately for Lily when the Quaffle came zooming down where Sirius had dropped it and fell down near Lily's feet.

"Ah Lillian we can't have you sitting down here all on your lonesom, why don't you grab James's old broom and come up and join us." Sirius said this pointing over to where the Quidditch gear must be kept.

"Well as kind as the offer is, I prefer my feet firmly on the ground, so I'll stick to the watching. And stop calling me Lillian, its unnerving." Lily said as she handed Sirius the Quaffle.

"Your loss _Lillian_!" Sirius zoomed back up into the air to where James was now hunched over his broom and looking down at Lily below.

Half an hour later and Lily heard Maria call out that it was time for dinner and immediantly James and Sirius came flying down and dismounted from their brooms, and threw all of the Quidditch gear back into the shed.

"Come on Lils." James said this rushing back to where Lily was slowly walking up and pushed her along.

"Ok…Ok." Lily shouted starting to pick up her pace walking up towards the house, but for Sirius this still seemed too slow. He ran down to Lily and James, grabbed Lily around the waist and threw her over his shoulder running up towards the house.

"Lily. Don't you understand the words dinner is ready…its not right to keep people waiting." James laughed hearing Sirius's reasons for now running up to the house. Within a couple of minutes of Lily kicking and telling Sirius to put her down they arrived at the back door. Sirius put Lily down before walking into the house.

"Thanks!" Lily excalimed at the now vacent door.

"Lils if theres one thing you should know about Sirius it's don't keep him away from his food." James laughed following Lily into the kitchen were Sirius and James's parents were already seated waiting for them to take a seat.

As soon as Lily placed herself in a seat opposite James and next to Sirius, Sirius started to pile food onto his plate, and take a large mouthful.

"Well nice to see your appitite hasn't changed there Sirius." Moria laughed from the end of the table.

"There's nothing like your cooking Mrs P." Siruis said this through mouthfuls of mash potatoe.

"So what havoc have you two got planned for tomorrow, and bare in mind that your mother and I would love our house to still be in one piece when we get home from work." Henry asked looking between James and Sirius.

"We never cause any havoc!" James exclaimed with a look of innocence.

"And that one time where the sitting room got trashed wasn't our fault, an elf came in and did it!" Sirius finished matching the look of innocence that James was portraying. Lily was sitting there smiling watching the scene before her. Lily knew perfectly well that neither James nor Sirius were the innocent little angels that they were trying to make themselves seem.

"We all know you're not that innocent boys." Moria said looking at the pair of them. "But as long as you don't cause too much trouble."

"James clear the table ready for pudding." Henry asked his son as he sad back in the chair.

"Oi pass them plates down please." James asked to the end where Moria and Sirius were sitting and started to gather up the plates around him. Once James had the plates piled up he picked them up and took them over to the sink, before walking over to a cabinet and got out five plates before walking back over to the table, and taking a seat again at the table. Moria waved her wand and a large strawberry trifle and a summer fruits cheesecake flew over and landed on the table.

"Lils what ye be wanting?" James asked with a plate ready to put Lily's choice of pudding on.

"Mmm trifle please." Lily smiled as James scooped out a large amount and passed the plate over to Lily.

"Dad?"

"Cheesecake of course!" Henry seemed shocked that James had to ask.

"Mum?"

"Trifle please darlin'." After James handed his mother her pudding James put a slice of cheesecake and a scoop of trifle on a plate before handing it to Sirius, and then took the last of the trifle for himself.

After everyone had finished eating their way through the puddings and the general chit chatter had faded away, James once again got up and collected the plates, putting them in the sink with the dinner plates, as a clock chimed in the kitchen. Looking around Lily noticed a little wooden clock in the corner. It was eight O'clock already; Lily couldn't believe that it was that late already. But Lily couldn't decided if she was more shocked of the time or the fact that James had just tidied the table and it looked like he was now getting ready to do the washing up.

"Sirius you can wash I'll brake." James said throwing the dishcloth at Sirius who was slowly getting up from his seat.

"Its ok boys I'll let you off this once, besides you have to walk Lily here home." Moria said pulling out her wand once again and the dished started to clean themselves and fly back into the cabinets where they had come from.

"Thanks mum, you ready then Lils?" James asked looking over at Lily.

"Yeah, I'm good to go." Lily said getting up from her seat. "Thanks for dinner, it was lovely." Lily said over to Moria and Henry who were still seated at the table, now with coffee in front of them.

"It was no problem, you're welcome round for dinner when ever you want." Moria told Lily.

"Thanks, well goodnight." Lily said this as she followed James and Sirius out of the house. The walk home seemed to be the shortest yet; James and Sirius were running up and down the street playing tag, until they got to Lily's house.

"Thanks for the entertainment on the way home." Lily laughed to James and Sirius as she stood on the porch.

"No problem dear Lillian." Sirius bowed down in front of Lily.

"How many times don't call me L.I.L.L.I.A.N?" Lily emphasised the Lillian.

"Ummm bout another 100 or so." Sirius smirked leaning against a post. Lily shot him an aggravated look, which only seemed to make Sirius smirk more.

"Hey Lil's why don't you come round tomorrow, we can all go for a swim, have a game of exploding snap – I take it you at least know how to play that!" James mocked Lily.

"Yeah sure I'll come up bout 11. Well I shall see you tomorrow." Lily said this as she turned away to push open the front door.

"What no kiss goodnight?" Sirius exclaimed but ran when he saw Lily turn round, and launch her way towards Sirius. But James grabbed Lily around the waist.

"Now, now children, that's enough for one night." James said this in a strict voice, sounding like he was imitation professor McGonagall

"Yes Sir!" Lily did a salute before turning around and going into her house, closing the door behind her.

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Thanks, for the reviews, glad your enjoying the story. Here's the next chapter a little earlier then I was gonna post it, but as I have broken my laptop I though I would post it while I've got a computer that works and with the internet.  Please Review and I'll try and get the next one up soon!

Lorna x


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 – Can't think of a chapter name. So its Chapter 8 lol 

"Hey Nan, what's wrong?" Lily had just walked in to kitchen to find Pat sitting up at the table her head in her hand, and sobbing, there was a letter in front of her, which now had tear drops splattered all over it.

"Oh its nothing dear really, I'm just being silly." Pat sat upright wiping away the tears from her cheeks with a tissue, quickly folding up the letter and putting it back in the envelope and faking a smile.

"Nan it's hardly nothing, you're sitting there crying. What's wrong? What does that letter say?" Lily asked with concern in her voice and worry was now evident in her green eyes, as she looked from her Nan to the letter then back to her Nan.

"Oh it's just a letter your great aunt Mary sent, about the loss of your parents, nothing to worry your pretty head about my dear." Pat said this looking anywhere but into Lily's eyes, which made Lily know that her Nan was lying about what was in that letter, but decided to let it go and make herself some toast.

"So what have you got planned today? It's such a lovely day you can't stay in all day."

"Oh, I'm going to James's house again, his got a pool so were gonna go swimming and stuff." Lily said this taking a bite out of her toast.

"Oh that's nice, will you be home for dinner? I was going to cook a roast."

"Umm yeah I'll come back for about 7 for dinner. If that's ok Nan." Lily looked over at the window and saw a tweedy brown old tapping at the window with a letter in its mouth. Opening the window Lily took the letter out of the bird's mouth as it gave a hoot and flew off into the sunlight.

Lily sat back down at the table and opened it knowing that it was from Hogwarts telling Lily what books she would need for her next year at school. But the envelope seemed a little thicker then it usually was and peering into the envelope Lily pulled out a shiny red badge with a 'P' on it.

"I'm a prefect…Nan I'm a prefect." Lily jumped up from the table now abandoning the rest of the contents waving her shiny red badge at her Nan.

"Oh Lily darling that's brilliant…Oh how wonderful. Your parents would have been so proud. I'll have to make some chocolate éclairs for desert now… Oh a prefect!" Pat kissed Lily on the forehead, beaming with pride. But the words about her parents tugged on Lily's heart 'they would never know that I made it as prefect.' Lily thought bitterly, now looking at the badge with resentment.

Lily could imagine the joyful looks on her parents faces, the hugging, jumping around the room with joy, and kisses, then her mum declaring that they would have to have a Chinese meal to celebrate, the happy event, which made Lily's happiness disappear as soon as it had arrived.

Not wanting to let her Nan see how upset she was Lily put on a pair of emerald green flip-flops, and started to walk towards the door.

"I'll see you tonight Nan." Lily yelled as she shut the front door and slowly walked down the street.

Instead of walking directly to James's house Lily stopped off at the park, her solitude, and the place that she hadn't been to what seemed like an eternity. Taking a seat on the swing and kicking off from the ground Lily let the warm summer breeze blow her hair behind her and onto her face, and letting the felling of sadness take over her whole body.

Lily was swinging away not noticing anything about the world around her. Lily was oblivious to children's screams as they played, and oblivious to the families around her. The sadness, which had taken over Lily's body, was now disappearing and slowly being replaced with the feeling of guilt. Lily was feeling guilty that she hadn't spent more time morning over her parents, it seemed more like Lily had just moved on with her new life and forgotten all about them. It had been two weeks since the funeral and she still hadn't even been back to her family home, or been to the churchyard to where their graves were. Lily wasn't aware of the time or aware that there were now people starting, all she knew was how guilty and miserable she was feeling inside.

"Hey Padfoot, Lily hasn't come round yet has she?" James asked after taking a shower and now looking over his Hogwarts letter and noticing the time, it was now half twelve and James was feeling a little worried Lily was never late for anything. In fact Lily was the most organised person that he knew, he could only remember once or twice where Lily was rushing last minute to finish off some homework.

"Nah not yet, maybe she got caught up at home or something…you know she's got the perfect badge maybe she's celebrating." Sirius said this logically to James putting another card on the card pyramid he was making. Thinking that Sirius was right James sat down opposite Sirius and pulled out the exploding snap cards.

A few singed eyebrows later, James looked back up at the clock. It was now one thirty and still no sign of Lily.

"I think I'm going to go and pop round Lily's and see if she's ok." James said getting up and walking towards the door, worry was evident in his eyes. It wasn't like James to worry this much over small things like people not turning up on time. But for some reason that James couldn't explain he had a feeling that something was wrong in the bottom of his stomach and couldn't take it anymore.

Lily was still swinging away, remembering the time when her parents had decided to have a BBQ party because they had just brought a new BBQ that they wanted to test out. Lily's parents would make up any excuse for a good party with family and friends. The whole of the garden was busy with children playing skittles, swing ball, and running all over the place playing tag, while the adults sat down on garden chairs drinking wine or beer and talking among themselves, every now and then getting up and playing a game of swing ball or skittles with the children.

The whole garden was alive with merriment and Lily could remember see in her mind the whole party before her.

"Ahh Ken I totally agree, not a BBQ without the ribs." Sam said putting down a large tray of ribs on the table, before picking up his pint of beer that was sitting on the table, taking a mouthful before putting it back on the table and walking away to the shed to grab a blue and white stripped pull out chair.

"So how's Danny boy these days?" Sam asked Ken as he came back to the table and started to pull out the chair ready to sit on.

"Oh his good, brilliant at the ol' footy now, you should come watch him on a Saturday morning." Ken replied back now helping himself to another rib from the pile.

"Oh I do love a good game of footy, let me know the time and I'll come down and watch, if you'll excuse me I think I'm ready for a refill. You want another?" Sam picked up his pint glass once more and drained the remaining beer before heading off to the kitchen for a top up. Coming back to the garden Sam had gone straight over to the chair, which he had just assembled and sat down.

To Sam's shock the chair folded it's self back up, and now he was squashed in the chair with a look of utter shock on his face, and the laughter around him was intensifying. After the laughter had died down Rose walked over to where Sam was stuck and pulled the chair apart freeing Sam, who now had a proud look on his face.

"And didn't spill a drop." Sam laughed taking a mouthful of his beer standing up then lightly kissing his wife.

"Nothing more criminal then wasting your beer wouldn't you say?" Sam said sitting down on a wooden chair and looking at the fold out chair with a look of distaste.

Later that day a seven year old Lily was standing on the grass and getting ready to throw a ball at the awaiting skittles. Releasing the ball Lily watched as all of the skittles fell to the ground, and jumping up into the air in Joy as Rose walked over to Lily.

"Fancy a game of swing ball?" Rose asked her daughter before walking over to the garden table to put down her wine glass.

"Yah!" Lily squealed rushing over to the swing ball set and picking up the two red plastic bats from the floor and handing one over to her mum.

"Go on Lily, show us what you go kiddo." Sam had shouted from the table, and Lily gave a broad smile before striking the ball.

Five minutes later Rose and Lily were still hitting the ball to and thro. Just when Lily had thought that she was going to win the game Rose hit the ball with force, and then the string and ball went flying off the pole towards the talking adults sitting at the garden table.

Next thing there was a yell of shock as the ball landed in Sam's pint glass, making Sam jump up in shock and covering him, the chair and a bit of the table in beer. Rose was standing next to Lily laughing hard, and wiping tears from her eyes, as Sam just stood there in shock for a moment, before realising what had exactly happened.

"Thanks dear always wanted a beer bath." Sam shook his head.

Lily had many funny and happy memories of her parents; there were hardly any sad times. Sam and Rose loved to have people round for dinners, go out to parties, and spend any spare time that they had with the girls, taking them to the park or playing with them in the garden. They both lived to help everyone around them, and nothing was ever too much for them.

Lily was disturbed from her thoughts when she heard a voice calling out her name.

"Lily. What are you doing here? I thought you were coming around for a swim." James had seen Lily as he walked along the road swinging away in her own little world. There was a look of pain and sadness in her eyes.

"Oh. Hi James, I'm sorry I just lost track of time." Lily put on a fake smile and jumped of the swing to join James.

"Lils what's wrong?" James asked softly looking down at Lily in the eyes. "And don't say nothing I can see that there is." James interjected as he saw Lily start to look at him as if there was nothing wrong.

"It's just, I just…I feel guilty, I mean, my parents, there not going to see anything that happens in my life from now on, and since the funeral I feel like I haven't thought about them as much I should have. I mean I haven't even been back to the church yard or our family home." Lily said all of this looking down at her feet, rather then looking James in the eye, with her eyes filling with tears. James automatically pulled Lily into a hug and guided her over to a spot on the grass under an oak tree, and motioned for her to sit down.

James just sat there with Lily's head resting on his shoulder while he had his arm wrapped around her shoulders protectively, while she let out the tears, which she had been holding in throughout the morning.

"Shhh Lilly, they wouldn't want you to sit about not living your life." James whispered gently, trying to calm the sobs.

"But…But there's a difference living my life and forgetting about them." Lily said this between her sobs.

"Lils, look at me." James put two fingers under her chin, so that Lily was now looking straight at him. "Lily you haven't forgotten about them, you could never forget about them. Just because you have been happy and having fun doesn't mean that you have forgotten them. As long as you keep them in there you will never forget them. Ever." James said this softly and putting his hand onto Lily's heart and was staring softly into her eyes. "And if you want we can go buy some flowers and go to the church before we go back up to mine."

"I just love them so much, it's just hard to think about them, I just can't bare to think of al the things that they are missing." Lily let out another sob and James pulled her back into a hug, making circular movements on her back and shhhing noised to calm Lily down.

"I know it's hard, but I bet they are looking down on you and smiling on everything that you have achieved, and thinking about how proud they are that you are their daughter." James said this softly, which only made Lily cry more into his shoulder.

Ten minutes later and Lily had stopped crying, and James sat with his arm back around Lily's shoulder as she leaned her head onto James's shoulder, Lily had the feeling of protection and warmth that she always felt whenever she was close to James.

"I'm sorry James, I always seem to be crying into your shoulder." Lily let out a small laugh, breaking the silence, which had settled between them.

"It's not a problem I'm starting to get used to it. Beside I'm not going to complain since you've been crying into my shoulder you haven't been yelling or hexing me" James laughed looking over at the families with their children in the park.

"Well how about we find you some flowers then." James said getting up from the grass, and smiling. James looked down at Lily holding out his hand to help her up and walking along the road to the florist.

Soon Lily and James had arrived at the graveyard and walked straight over to where the graves of Rose and Sam, that was in the shade of an old tree. James gave Lily's hand a squeeze as she looked down at the white marble tombstones with tears in her eyes, before she let go of James's hand and knelt down on the ground between the two graves. Knowing that Lily needed a little bit of time alone James walked away and sat down on a bench, which was looking over at the countryside around the church.

Lily had placed a selection of sunflowers on each of the two graves, for some reason sunflowers seemed to be the flower which reminded her most of her parents. Lily guessed it was because they were bright and cheerful looking, much like her parents had been.

"Mummy, Daddy, I miss you so much! I'm sorry I haven't been her sooner but – its hard, I guess I never wanted to come to reality that you were gone and that you weren't going to be there for me anymore. I did what you asked daddy, I gave James Potter a chance…and…. and you were right, his not as bad as I though he was, in fact his the one that has helped me through all of this. I made school prefect, too. I just wish you were here to join in the celebrations. I love you both so much." Lily wiped the tears from here eyes with the back of her hand and stood up looking around for James.

Lily spotted James and walked over, he looked like he was deep in thought looking over at the hills and trees all around him. James head was resting on his arms and a small smile was playing on his lips. He looked extremely cute to Lily at that moment at time. 'What no James potter is not cute, your just thinking that because your upset. Yeah that's it.' Lily thought to herself as she went and stood next to the bench.

"Hey Lils." James stood up and hugged Lily who mumbled thanks into his shoulder, before James took her hand and they walked away from the churchyard; Lily took one last look over her shoulder at the headstones before they were impossible to see anymore.

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Really couldn't think of a chapter title for this one, was gonna go with memories but I dunno I didn't like it lol, so if anyone else can think of a better title? Well enjoy. Lorna x


	9. swimming

Chapter 9 - 

"You still up for swimming or do you want to do something else?" James asked Looking at lily who seemed to be deep in thought.

"What ah yeah sure, it will take my mind off things." Lily said with a smile on her face but James knew that the smile was a way of Lily hiding the sorrow she was still feeling.

As Lily and James walked through the front door Sirius came bounding across the ballroom, like a five-year-old who was excited to see his parents.

"Finally…I was going out of my mind, there's only so many cakes one can eat!" Sirius exclaimed and mock pouting.

"Well looks like we have come just in time to save your sanity." James laughed.

"You mean what's LEFT of it!" Lily corrected James with a small smile, which made James laugh harder.

"Lillian I'm shocked! Everyone knows that I'm about the most non insane person there ever was." Sirius was showing a false look of hurt on his hansom face.

"Who ever has been telling you that has been lying for a llooonnng time." Lily said this with her eyebrows raised now truly thinking that there was something not right about Sirius, and was contemplating how he could be better at her then transfiguration.

"I'm hurt, Hurt I say!" Sirius threw his hands out in all directions emphasising how hurt and shocked he was before tumbling down to the ground.

"Yes, Padfoot your very hurt and shocked, but I bet I know something that will make you come back to your senses." James said this looking down at Sirius with a smile on his face.

"What…What…What." Sirius was still lying down on the floor but was throwing his arms all over the place.

"Swimming!" As soon as James said the word Sirius was up of the floor with a large smile on his face and mysterious glint in his eye.

They were all heading out into the garden towards the pool that Lily knew all to well, when Sirius pulled off his t-shirt, showing off his toned upper body and went running to the pool and bombing into glittering water, splashing water everywhere with a girl scream, before swimming over to the edge jumping out and going down the slide screaming "WEEE" the whole way down.

James soon followed suit pulling off his t-shirt, and shocked Lily with his also well toned body from all the Quidditch that he did, he had muscles in all the right places and looked more hansom then ever, which left Lily looking at him shocked and blushing slightly. 'No this is madness James is a good friend, nothing else, stop gawping, stop looking, but he does look good.' Lily found herself thinking as James ran and jumped into the pool following Sirius's example.

"Oi! You coming in or what?" James yelled from the pool, pulling Lily out of her thoughts as she took off her short and vest top to show a green bikini, which she had been wearing under her clothes.

James had been watching Lily taking off her clothes and was momentarily stunned at how beautiful she looked, and noticed how self-conscious she was looking as she pulled off her shorts to reveal her bikini bottoms, and then slowly walking over to the edge of the swimming pool, and looking at the water. It looked from where James was treading water that Lily was debating if she really wanted to go in or not, but it seemed that Lily was going in if she wanted to or not, when all of a sudden Sirius came out of nowhere and pushed Lily straight into the water who let out a loud scream as she hit the water.

Lily came to the surface of water splattering and looking around her at the two laughing face of Sirius and James, but once Lily turned and shot a deadly look at Sirius, he quickly stopped laughing and started to swim away as Lily went chasing after him.

Once Lily caught up with Sirius she grabbed his head and dunked him under the water holding down his head for a few seconds before letting go, and watching Sirius come to the surface and taking a deep breath, not expecting Lily to then push him back under again before swimming over to where James was treading water with a smug look on her face. James was just laughing at the pair of them.

"You know his gonna want revenge for that." James said to Lily as Sirius made his way over to them.

"Uhuh." Lily said while watching Sirius approaching her with a smile on his face. In fact it seemed that Sirius didn't have any plans on plotting revenge, instead he dunked James quickly under the water, which left Lily laughing her head off as she saw the shocked, and disbelieving look on James's face.

After a moment James came to the surface and took a large intake of breath looking at Lily who was still giggling, and James smiled a warm caring smile. He was happy that Lily seemed to be enjoying herself, but also he noticed how much more beautiful she looked when she was laughing and having bits of her red hair stuck to her face. It made James just want to hold her close and kiss her, but he knew for many reasons that this couldn't happen. For one he had only just got Lily's trust and friendship and he didn't want to ruin what he already had with Lily, secondly there was the fact that he was still technically dating Kate.

James had been meaning to break up with Kate before the summer holidays. In fact James still couldn't quiet understand how he had ended up dating her in the first place. It was more she asked him if she wanted to meet up for a drink at the Three Broomsticks one Hogsmead weekend, and the next thing he knew he was dating Kate. This confused James immensely as the only person he really wanted to be with was Lily. Kate was attractive and smart, but she was too clingy and full of herself, for James's liking. James wanted someone who was smart, funny, caring and the person that was less then a meter away from him.

James was soon snapped out of his thoughts when water when flying over his head after Sirius had done yet another bomb dive into the water, holding a brightly coloured beach ball. At the edge of the pool goals seemed to have magically appeared from out of nowhere. James grinned and Lily smiled knowing that this was going to be a game till the death, having three of the most competitive people in Hogwarts in on pool.

Sirius tossed the ball into the goal where James retrieved it and swam over to the other hoop where he was stopped in his tracks by Sirius swimming rather quickly over to him and dunking him, which left Lily the chance to still the ball and score straight into the open goal with a grin on her face.

All too soon the game was getting fierce with someone getting dunk every second, and the ball travelling from person to person so regularly that it was impossible for anyone to keep up with where the ball was, let alone score a goal.

Lily had the ball in her hand after tackling Sirius for it, when all of a sudden she felt something underneath her and before she knew it Lily was being lifted up into the air and screaming out of shock. James had snuck underneath Lily and lifted her onto his shoulders, giving Lily a clear shot at the goal before Sirius tackled him when both him and Lily went screaming and flying into the water.

An hour later and all three of the teenagers were exhausted, hungry and thirsty so they climbed out of the pool and grabbed their clothes before walking into the house and upstairs to get changed into some dry clothes.

"Here Lil's you can use my bathroom I'll pop into the bathroom up the hall, see you in a min." James said as they reached his door, before continuing up the corridor talking to Sirius about the latest Quidditch match.

Ten minutes later and all three were now dry, cleanly clothed and heading down towards the sitting room, where Lily immediately jumped onto the largest settee and laid down, watching Sirius take suit and lay across the smaller of the settees, leaving James the rug in front of the fire.

"Oh no you don't I'm not sitting on the floor in me own house!" James exclaimed before lifting Lily's upper body, and sitting where she had been laying. James then picked up a cushion put it on his lap and let Lily rest her head in his lap. Unknown to Lily and James, Sirius had been watching this with amusement in his eyes. It was obvious that Prongs liked Lily, but now Sirius was sure that James's liking to Lily had moved onto another level. Yet Lily seemed oblivious to James's feelings, and in Sirius's mind maybe her own too.

"So Lillian did you get that great big shiny red badge today then?" Sirius asked from his laying position breaking the silence, which had, settled among the three, and silence wasn't something that Sirius liked.

"Yes I did thank you, so if I catch you up to anything its straight into detention!" Lily said this mockingly pointing a finger at Sirius and trying not to let the edges of her mouth rise into a small smile, while James sat there smiling and moved a bit of Lily's hair out of her eyes.

"OOOO fighting words." Sirius replied with a smile on his face, obviously thinking up the first prank to play of the year.

"Padfoot what prank you thinking up?" James asked noticing the look on Sirius's face all to well.

"Well Prongs it's a need to know basis, and right now you don't need to know." Sirius stuck his nose in the air with a satisfied smirk on his face, while James sent him over a look of utter bewilderment. "Anyway I need food, I'm wasting away to practically nothing."

"Well Padfoot you know where the kitchen is, and I'm certain you know where the fridge is." James laughed over at Sirius who was now starting to get up from the settee.

"I'll come with you Sirius, I'm feeling the need for a snack now that you've started talking about food." Lily laughed standing up and heading towards the door.

"Well if you're both going." James threw the cushion to one side and got up following the other two into the kitchen.

Lily, James and Sirius were now sitting at the table eating their way through large chunks of chocolate cake and drinking nice and refreshing butter beer, and playing a wizarding board game, where each player was a different coloured robed person on a broom that hovered over the playing spaces. The aim of the game was to simply be the one who ended on the last space with the most money after having to paying silly taxes and penalties. It reminded Lily a lot of the muggle game called Game of Life.

"Damn is that the time?" Lily looked up at the clock and noticed that it was half past seven already.

"Lillian its not that late, it's only half seven, surely you can stay to finish loosing." Sirius looked at Lily with an eyebrow raised.

"Yeah but I promised my Nan that I would be home by seven for dinner, she's doing a big roast to celebrate me getting my badge." Lily exclaimed now jumping out of her seat, and rushing out of the kitchen to find her flip-flops. "Ahh where are they?" Lily was still looking for her shoes now in the ballroom.

"What these?" James asked holding up a pair of green flip-flops, with a smile on his face.

Fifteen minutes Lily had made it back to her Nan's after the fastest walk of her life. When Lily walked through the front door she could already see her Nan sitting up at the table with her dinner in front of her.

"I'm so sorry I'm late Nan, I just lost track of time." Lily apologised, but could still see the disappointed look on Pats face.

"It's not a problem, your dinner is in the microwave if you want to grab it." Pat motioned towards the little white microwave.

After taking her dinner out of the microwave, and placing it down on the table next to her Nan before getting a knife and fork from the draw and sitting down eating her dinner in silence.


	10. Diagon Alley

**Chapter 9 – Diagon Alley. **

Lily stepped into the fireplace in the ballroom of James's house and shouted "The leaky Cauldron." Lily could now feel herself spinning quickly while she had her eyes shut tight. It was the first time Lily had used the flow network, since her own house wasn't attached to the network. But Lily did know that she ultimately preferred using the train to get to Diagon alley. Soon enough Lily's feet hit the ground as she fell out of the fireplace in the Leaky Caldron.

Brushing herself down and looking up Lily could see James standing there waiting for Lily, who quickly pulled her out of the way as Sirius came tumbling out of the fireplace, and fell to the floor, soot going everywhere.

"I always like to make a more dramatic entrance." Sirius said this as he got up and started dusting the soot off his jeans and looking around the old pub. In the far corner was an old witch with a black travelling cloak on, her face was hidden from view, looking extremely mysterious and taking a sip out of her glass. At the bar a man with bright green robes, and a green bowler hat was cheerfully ordering drinks from Tom the toothless bar tender. Then at a little table by the window was Remus Lupin sitting down and waving at his two friends who had just entered the pub.

Sirius and James went bounding over to Remus with large smiles on their faces, while Lily once again felt awkward, she had spoken to Remus once or twice in charms class, but not nearly enough to claim to be friends with him. At that moment Lily was feeling an intruder in a tight friendship group. So instead of rushing over like James and Sirius Lily took a slower approach.

"Ahh I thought for a minute you weren't going to join us." Sirius said as Lily reached the group.

"Hey Remus." Lily said ignoring Sirius's last comment, and looking over to Remus who looked warn down and tired.

"Hi Lily, how's you? How you coping with these two berks?" Remus asked pointing at both James and Sirius as he got up from his seat.

"I'm not to bad, I think I am just about coping with them, nice to see another sensible person though." Lily smiled as James and Sirius let out mock outrage.

"That's unfair!" Sirius claimed giving slight evils at Lily, before mock storming off to the courtyard, in what looked like more of a strut to Lily, then a walk.

Once all three were out in the courtyard James pulled out his wand and tapped the bricks on the wall in a sequence and then the wall transformed into a brick alleyway that allowed the group to enter Diagon Alley.

The three boys started walking down the street towards Gringrotts the Wizards Bank chatting about their summers between them, while Lily walked next to James quietly, feeling once again feeling an intruder, and instead of paying attention to the conversation Lily was looking around the street, taking in the window displays of the shops that they passed.

After filling up their money bags the four reappeared in the street and Lily followed the boys towards Quality Quidditch Supplies engrossed in her own thoughts looking at the families all around her, and looking at young children running down the street then back to their parents again.

"Hey earth to Lily." James was waving a hand in front of Lily's face with a wide smile on his face and snapping Lily back to reality.

"What?" Lily asked facing James, James just rolled his eyes at the look of loss on Lily's face and walked silently with Lily as they reached the shop.

"Umm I'll leave you guys to the Quidditch I'm just gonna pop into that shop over there." Lily said turning away from the looks of wonder from the three guys, as she walked away.

"I'll meet you back here in a bit. I'm gonna go and see what's wrong with Lils." James said with a concerned look on his face and rushing to catch up with Lily as Sirius and Remus walked into Quality Quidditch Supplies where they could easily spend the next hour looking over all the latest products.

"Hey Lils wait up." James called as Lily walked straight past the shop she was intending to go into and instead sat down on a bench. "Lilly what's wrong?" James asked taking a seat next to Lily who was watching him as he took a seat.

"Oh nothing I was just giving you three some time to yourselves." Lily said plainly looking away from James and at the shop opposite.

"Lils, there's no need to feel awkward around them, Remus was asking you questions but you were too much in your own little world to hear him. Plus I think you fit right in with your sense of humour." James laughed still looking at Lily.

"Oh I guess, I guess I didn't hear him call my name." Lily blushed slightly at her stupidity looking down at her hands.

"Besides you may as well get used to Money now your gonna be spending a lot of time with him as he made prefect too." James smiled now looking over at the Quidditch shop that he was dieing to enter but knew that he needed to set Lily straight first.

"I guess your right, I just kindda felt like an intruder. But then I guess if I hadn't switched off I would have noticed that they were trying to actually talk to me." Lily laughed following James's eyes and smiled getting up from the bench and holding out her hand for James to take.

Just as James took Lily's hand smiling as she started to lead him towards the Quidditch store, he heard his name being yelled.

"James!" Yelled a voice from the crowds of people. Just as James recognised the voice and was tempted to drag Lily and hide in the nearest shop until the person had disappeared. Letting go of Lily's hand rather reluctantly he turned round and saw Kate; she was looking from Lily to James with her crystal blue eyes.

"I haven't heard from you all summer, I was getting worried." Kate was talking directly towards James and acting like Lily was just a bench at the side of the street.

"I'm sorry it's just I've been really busy. You know with Quidditch and all that." James was looking at Kate with his hands now in his jeans, unaware of the two boys looking through the window of the shop they were in, deciding if they should go and help out their mate from the predicament that he seemed to have gotten himself into.

"Well how about we go and get an ice cream together now? My friends are their two, I can't see your friends anywhere" Kate tossed her blond hair behind her shoulders taking a look along the street, then walking over and linking her arm through his.

"I'm sorry Kate but, I can't leave Lily here by herself." James looked at Lily who was looking at the pair of them with a fleeting feeling that she wanted to hurt Kate right there right then, for making her feel so awkward, and stupid.

"I'm sure she won't mind will you? It's not like she not used to being alone." She looked over to Lily with cold eyes, as if daring Lily to say no. The words hit Lily like a slap in the face, it was true she was used to being alone but over the past few weeks Lily had never felt so alone as she did at that moment in time. In her mind Lily wanted to say no I do mind, why should I be left standing alone like always. But Lily didn't much feel like a confrontation at the present moment in time, with one of the most popular girls in school.

"No not at all." Lily replied in soft voice and went to walk away when she saw Remus and Sirius coming over out of the corner of her eye.

Joining the three of them Sirius walked over to Lily and put his arm protectively around her shoulders, and looked at Kate with anger and disgust. This had shocked Lily never would she have thought that Sirius and Remus would stand up for her. In fact Lily wasn't used to anyone standing up for her other then Isabel.

"Oh Sirius, I didn't see you over there, why don't you and Remus come with us, Michelle and Laura are up at Ice cream parlour too." Kate smiled a wide smile at them, which to her dismay neither returned.

"I'm sorry Kate, but I am other wise engaged talking to the lovely Lily here."

Kate stood there shock now etched in her blue eyes, tossing her blond hair behind her shoulders once again, and putting a hand on her hips she rounded on Sirius.

"You are telling me that you find a little lowly, ugly, scrawny, freak, who has no friends more interesting to talk to. You can tell by the look on her face she doesn't even know why your there!" Kate was pointing a perfectly manicured finger towards Lily as she raved on about her thoughts.

Lily had taken to looking at the pebble ground, tears welling up in her eyes. Everything Kate had just said in Lily's mind was true, she didn't have any friends other then Isabel, and you had heard herself being called a freak so often that she had started to wonder if it was indeed true, as for looking ugly Lily knew that was a little harsh, she wouldn't call herself ugly but she wouldn't call herself beautiful either, more of a happy in-between. From looking down at the ground Lily hadn't seen James jump away from Kate either and stand on the opposite side Sirius, nor had Lily seen the now furious looks on each of the three boys faces.

"You know Kate I think I'd rather eat my own fist then be anywhere near you, you know nothing about people's feelings, and know nothing about any of us." James had said this slowly and clearly to make sure that Kate had got every single word of it.

"Oh and I also think that means your dumped. I believe the giant squid has more feelings then you will ever have." Sirius ended as Kate threw dagger looks at Lily.

"I dunno why your looking like that at Lily, it you who's the stuck up, damn right unfeeling one not her." Remus said as Kate took one last look that the four of them and stormed up the high street.

Lily felt touched that the three boys who had only known her for a few weeks had just stood up and defended her against one of the popular girls at school. It shocked her and scared her in another way though, did this mean that she was now friends with the famous maunderous? It hadn't occurred to Lily before then that she had become proper friends with them, Lily believed that once the summer holidays ended next week that the three of them would join their fourth and then forget she ever existed, maybe say hello in the hall but that would be it. And in the back of Lily's mind that's exactly what she wanted. Lily wasn't sure if she wanted to be in the line light, if she wanted for people to start noticing her.

"Hey Lils you alright, I can't believe that Bitch." Sirius said this with his protective arm still around Lily and now looking at the vulnerable person his arm was around.

"Yeah I'm fine, thanks…I'm not in the mood for shopping anymore I think I might just head off home instead." Lily said softly removing Sirius's shoulder from around her arm and started walking up the street.

"Oh no you don't." Remus had pulled Lily back now looking at her as she looked up with shock in her eyes.

"Your not going home and thinking what she said was right." Remus said this a strict look in his eyes.

"She's just jealous cos you have everything she doesn't, plus your friends with the most hansom person in Hogwarts!" Sirius said looking up the street.

"I know, how about we grab the books we need and head back to mine, in sure we can find cause for cheer, and you haven't seen the games room yet." James smiled guiding Lily over to Florish and Blotts with a protective arm around her shoulder not taking no for an answer.

Thirty minutes later and the four of them were standing in the ballroom of the Potters Mansion holding onto their newly purchased books. Since the confrontation in Diagon Alley Lily had hardly said a word, the person who she really wanted to speak to, she couldn't. Lily wouldn't be seeing Isabel until next week when they all go back to Hogwarts.

"Come on Moony, let's grab some snacks and drinks and meet them in the games room." Sirius said walking over to the kitchen. Remus quickly picking up that Sirius wanted to give Lily and James time to talk followed Sirius.

"Lils," James started looking at Lily.

"Look James I'm fine, really it's nothing." Lily said this looking at the kitchen door wishing that she were in there getting the snacks and not being confronted about her feelings. For the first time, Lily didn't want to open up to James; she didn't want him to know what she was feeling.

"Lily you're not fine, you haven't said anything since, well, since we bumped into Kate." James was determinedly still looking at Lily.

"It's nothing, that I can't handle, or haven't already heard before!" Lily said this taking in a deep breath, she knew that James wasn't going to let it drop, but Lily was hoping if she kept stalling James would eventually give up for the day.

"Lily we both know its nothing, and I've got a pretty good idea I know what it is, and as your not going to say it shall I?" James exclaimed now loosing his patience, Lily looked shocked for a moment, starting to loose her own patience.

Why wouldn't he leave her alone? Why should he be the one loosing his patience? It wasn't him that was stuck in a predicament. It wasn't him that was having their whole world changed around them without even knowing it, or without even having the chance to say if they wanted their world to change or not.

"You know what why don't you just tell me what your little theory is! Mr I know it all!" Lily had now raised her voice loosing her temper.

"Well this Mr Know it all thinks that your scared, yeah that's right scared, because you realised today you have other people other then Issy who are gonna help you out, and stand up for you. Scared because you're so used to being alone and not having more then one close friend. Scared because your whole world is changing, for the better." James raised his voice back at Lily who was standing in front of James with anger in her eyes and looking at James with evils. But James knew that Lily wasn't really that angry, she was just upset and hurt, wanting to take out the pain on someone else.

"Oh is that so, your trying to tell me that I'm too scared to have friends, well I'll tell you what I can stand up for myself I don't need you lot to protect me, I DON'T NEED ANYONE TO PROTECT ME." Lily finally yelled before collapsing onto the floor in tears. Instantly James sank down onto the floor next to her and went to put his arm around her shoulder.

"No, leave me alone, I don't want anybody else." Lily said this softly her red hair mixing with her tears.

"Lils you can't shut people out of your life forever. You've got three people here who want to be your friends who want to be there for you, but you have got to let us. I promise I'm not going to leave or hurt you ever." James said this softly looking into Lily's bright green eyes that were full of sorrow.

"But how can you promise me that, who knows what's going to happen?"

"Look Lily I won't hurt you intentionally ever, and nor am I intentionally ever going to leave you. But if you let me I'll be your friend, to be here for you." James softly replied as Lily just shock her head and James pulled Lily into a hug as she sobbed into his shoulder soaking his pale blue t-shirt that he was wearing.

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Hey! Thanks for the reviews, I'm glad your enjoying it, and I'm sorry this chapters another sad sort of one. But I promise the next couple are happy ones!


	11. Last of the summer

**Chapter 11 – Last of the summer**

"Ah Lillian, nice of you to join us. Please have a seat next to the most hansom person in the room." Sirius stood up and pulled out the chair next to him, and motioning for Lily to take a seat.

"Most hansom person in the room? Then I think I should be sitting next to Remus. Wouldn't you say?" Lily had a smirk on her face as she pulled out the chair from next to Remus and sat down. Looking over at Sirius's and James's shocked faces, Lily let out a small laugh, then looked at the wizards chess game that Remus and Sirius were half way through playing. "Well you gonna finish playing then?" Lily asked now looking at Sirius with an innocent sweet look no upon her face.

"Yeah." Sirius said begrudgingly, and sat down and watched as a pawn went moving across the board.

Lily was looking around the games room; the walls were a deep red with specs of gold glittering in the sunlight that was streaming in through one of the large bay windows. There were shelf's of games, none of which Lily knew how to play other then the wizards chess set in front of her, and the exploding snap cards laying on a table by the window. On the walls there were pictures of famous Quidditch players wearing orange robes and zooming around in their picture frames. Lily sat watching one picture where the player zoomed down, so it looked like he was going to hit the ground but pulling up quickly before hitting the ground below. Over the far side of the room was to Lily's surprise a large pool table. This was one of the last things that Lily had expected to see in a wizard family's house.

James had noticed Lily's look of disbelief as she looked at the pool table.

"My parents brought it for me a couple of years ago for Christmas, thought it would be something, umm different." James said looking over at the pool table. "Not that any of us know how to play the game, you would have thought that it would have come with instructions, and putting the thing up was terrible, I really don't know how muggle's can use those how to guides." Lily let out a laugh at the thought of James and his parents sitting down trying to put up a piece of furniture without magic, and then after all the hard work not even knowing how to play the game.

"If you want I can teach you, my dad taught me how to play when I was younger." Lily said now looking at James who was shooting looks of dislike towards the table still.

"Really, yeah it will be great to actually be able to use the damn thing." James said now getting up from his seat and walking across the room.

Lily got up from her seat and walked over to standing next to James who was leaning on the pool table.

"Right first of all we need to set up the game, where's the triangle that came with the table?" Lily asked scooping up the balls, which were all over the table.

"Ummm, triangle, triangle." James walked over to a cupboard muttering to himself, rummaging around James pulled out a plastic triangle. "Here ya go." James handed Lily the triangle and watched as Lily started to put the yellow and red balls in the triangle in a specific order, before moving it to a specific spot on the table and putting in the black ball.

Walking to the other end of the table Lily put the white ball on the black line so that it was directly in front of the triangular set of balls at the other end.

"Right here's how you play, basically you hit the white ball with the end of the cue towards one of the coloured balls. Once someone has potted the first ball they then become their coloured ball and the other play gets the other colour. If you hit the wrong ball, or don't hit any balls then the other person gets two shots. Only one when you're going for the black. Right you got all that?" Lily asked picking up a cue, which was leaning against the wall and putting chalk on the end.

"Yup sounds easy enough." James replied

Sirius and Remus had now finished their game and were heading over to the pool table.

"Your not actually learning to play this game prongs!" Sirius exclaimed, watching Lily as she lent over the table and hit the white ball towards the set of balls. Balls went rolling all over the table, before stopping randomly all over the table.

"Well good luck Prongs buddy I think you've lost this before you have began." Sirius said this looking at the table and patting James on the back.

"It can't be that hard." James waved his hand taking the cue from Lily and hitting the white ball towards a red one, which was sitting next to the centre pocket.

"You missed! How could you miss that?" Remus asked laughing as the ball rolled away from the pocket.

"I would like to see you do any better!" James pointed his finger at Remus before handing the cue over to Lily who straight away potted a yellow ball, followed by another, followed another before missing and handing over the cue to Remus, enjoying the looks of surprise on the guys faces.

"Well if that's the best you've got Lils." Remus smirked before hitting the ball and shooting a red ball straight into the pocket. But by looking at the surprised look on Remus's face Lily knew that he hadn't expected to get any balls in what so ever. Taking another shot, to Lily's surprise another red ball went into the pocket, followed by another before Remus missed and smirked handing the cue back.

"Go Moony! Go Moony!" James and Sirius were swinging their hips in circular movements and moving their arms in large circular movements in front of their chest. Acting as Remus's cheerleaders.

Lily took the cue from Remus's hand and potted another yellow ball, before missing and the yellow ball, which she had lined up.

"Bad luck Lils. Go on Padfoot show her how it's done." James threw an arm in the air in front of him as Lily walked over and hit James on the arm. "What's that for?" James asked in a high-pitched voice.

"You should be nice to me!" Lily said in an equally high pitch and glaring at James.

"Ummm nowhere does it say that I must be nice to you. Especially when I'm competing against you!" James exclaimed looking over at Lily who was now pouting, but turned away and looked at Sirius as he potted a red ball before hitting the white ball at the wrong angle, and it went flying off the table towards Lily and James. Lily and James moved out of the way just in time.

"Ah ha, 2 shots to me! Two shot to me!" Lily said loudly in a singsong voice grabbing the cue from Sirius and leaning over the table getting ready to pot a yellow, unfortunately the white ball missed and went bouncing around the table before rolling into the top left-hand pocket.

"I do believe that's two shots to us now." James smirked walking next to Lily who was still leaning over the table, looking shocked that she missed her ball. "Lily you have to hand over the cue." James said laughing. Lily stood up and handed the cue over to James, still looking a little shocked at still missing, not only her own coloured balls, but every ball on the table.

James placed the white ball on the table before hitting it towards a red one and potting it, before lining up once again and potting another leaving only the last of lily's yellow balls and the black ball. Lily was standing their in shock, not only was she being beaten by three guys who only learnt how to play the game half an hour ago, she was being beating still having three balls on the table.

"Prongs, let me finish Lillian here off." Sirius was jumping up and down, with his hand in the air. "Let me! Let me!"

"Chill padfood, I'll let you take the shot. But I thought you said that I was doomed from the start!" James laughed handing Sirius the cue who started to line up the shot.

"Yes but that was before you had the talents of Moony and I. Right cross your fingers boys." Sirius said as he hit the white ball towards the black,

"Miss! MISS! MISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS" Lily was screeching as she watched to her horror the white ball hit the black and watch it roll into the pocket. "NO WAY!" Lily said horror struck. 

"WE WON! WE WOOOON! O. O. O. WE WON! O. O. O. WE WON!" the boys started chanting and doing the conga around the games room.

"It was an unfair game. There were three of you against me." Lily said in a high-pitched voice, and the three boys stopped their conga line.

"You what?" Sirius laughed.

"I'll tell you what you can have Prongs here. We all know he fluked the last couple of shots." Remus laughed now looking at the betrayed look on James's face.

"I see trade me off." James said this with a mock look of hurt in his eyes.

"Wait! I get your left overs that's not fair!" Lily said flapping her hands in the direction of James.

"Why who would you choose then?" Sirius asked.

"Umm…well – I guess ummm. Anyone but James!" Lily ended lamely, to the laughter of Remus and Sirius.

"Oh I see how it is! Rejected by my friends, fine. Fine." James still had the betrayed look in his eyes and strutted out of the games room. Leaving the three in the room looking bewildered not expecting that to happen.

"Lily you go after him." Sirius said pushing Lily towards the door.

"What. Why me, I don't know where he would have sulked off to. You should go you're his best friend." Lily reasoned looking at the door.

"How about we take a vote. Who thinks that Lily should go?" Sirius asked. Both Remus and himself raised both hands into the air.

"Well looks like your going Lily!" Remus said looking from him to Sirius.

"And he'll either be in his room or on the swing seat." Sirius said pushing Lily lightly out of the door.

"Or maybe down at the Quidditch pitch, or sitting on the table and chairs in the garden." Remus added.

"Wanna narrow that down anymore?" Lily asked walking away from the games room and across the ballroom, making her way up the stairs to start her search in James's room.

Knocking on the door to James's room there was no answer, so Lily pushed the door open, to find the room empty, and as messy as ever, with clothes once again randomly thrown all over the floor. Letting out a sigh Lily turned around and walked back along the corridor, and making her way out into the garden.

Walking along the garden path Lily took a quick look in the rose garden to see if James was sitting at the table, but there was no sign of James anywhere within that section of the garden. Following the path straight Lily next came to the swing seat where once again James was nowhere to be seen.

Letting out a sigh of frustration, Lily walked towards the Quidditch pitch. Never had Lily ever found it this hard to find anyone in her life. Even at Hogwarts Lily was able to find people who she needed, but James seemed to have the ability to hide himself well. Now approaching the Quidditch pitch Lily was looking up in the air to see if James was flying on his broom, but to Lily's dismay he wasn't there. Having a quick look around Lily didn't see James anywhere and was turning around getting ready to walk back up to the house in defeat, but in the corner of her eye, Lily saw a mess of black hair sitting on the ground.

Smiling Lily walked over to where James was sitting, and surprised to see that he was smiling himself when she reached him.

"Took you long enough to find me didn't it. Usually Sirius or Remus can find me within 3 minutes." James smiled as Lily looked down at him with a shocked look on her face.

"Well if you had a smaller house I would have been able to find you quicker!" Lily said pointing her finger at James. "Hold on. This was set up!" Lily said in a high-pitched voice, making James let out a laugh.

"Ahh you found him then, was gonna say come here first. Must have slipped my mind." Sirius laughed and throwing a broom towards James and Remus handed one to Lily. Lily took the broom by then just stood there looking at it, as if wondering what to do with it. Lily was so interested in just looking at the broom, that she did not realise that the other three had already mounted their brooms and were flying around in the air.

"You coming or just gonna stand there and look at the broom all day?" James yelled down to Lily.

Lily looked up into the air, racking her brains for an excuse, as to why she didn't want to go onto a broomstick, but in the end Lily decided that it would be better just to tell the truth, then at least they would hopefully let her stay with two feet firmly on the ground.

"Well, you see, I – I don't know how to fly. I have always believed that brooms are better for sweeping with, rather then flying!" Lily said quickly.

"WHAT!" all three exclaimed shock on all of their faces.

"I don't know how to fly." Lily repeated still looking up at the three boys in the air.

"NO WAY!" Sirius yelled, then let out a bark like laugh.

"YES WAY!" Lily yelled back, now thinking that the truth was possibly not the best policy.

James swooped down from the air and landed gracefully next to Lily, who turned to look at him, now feeling a little sheepish.

"Well I guess there is one way to go up in the air your gonna learn to fly." James said smiling next to Lily. Who now looked at him with wide eyes with a hint of fear.

"I'm not going up on one of these, last time I did I can flying off!" Lily said this panicky.

"Calm down, you wont fall off, plus you miss so much standing on the round, to being up in the air." James laughed, which didn't seem to help the situation as Lily turned round and hit him.

"Owch, what was that for?" James asked looking at the spot on his arm where Lily had just hit him.

"You lot laughing at me for not being able to fly!" Lily exclaimed.

"So I get hit for them to laughing at you!" James asked shocked.

"Well I can't reach them to hit, and you I can!" Lily reasoned with a smug look on her face, and hitting James on the arm again to enforce the point.

"Oi stop hitting me. We really have to do something about your hitting people you know!" James said as he mounted his broom. "Now come here." James said waving Lilly towards him. But Lily stood rooted to the spot shaking her head.

"Look you won't fall off, I promise." James reasoned looking towards Lily. Lily however still stood rooted to the spot. "Fine, we'll do this a different way."

James got off from his broom and made his way over to where Lily was standing, and picked her up around the waist and carried her over to where his broom was waiting to be mounted sitting down on the broom James put Lily in front of him and put his arm on the broom handle in front of Lily, before kicking off from the ground with a scream from Lily.

"James please put me down! Oh I'm going to die! Oh Please put me down!" Lily said this loudly with her eyes closed, Lily assumed that if she had her eyes closed then she wouldn't be able to see how far away the ground below her really was.

"Lily I hardly think your going to die." Remus laughed, sounding close by.

"Well I'd bet anything that prongs is not got to just throw you off his broom." Sirius let out a bark like laugh zooming past, and stopping facing Lily and James who were now just hovering in the air.

"Lily open your eyes." James said softly in Lily's ear but in response Lily just shock her head, and closing her eyes if possible tighter. The idea of knowing how high up they were did not appeal to Lily; the fear of heights was now starting to come into play.

"Lily, I promise you wont fall off, here I'll keep a hold of you." James took one hand off the broom and put it around Lily's waist and holing onto her tight. For a moment Lily wondered why the hell was he letting go of the broom was he mad? But once his arm was around her waist Lily relaxed a little bit.

Lily slowly opened her eyes, noticing that they were about 100 feet in the air, to her left was Remus sitting on his broom smiling, and in front Lily could see Sirius sitting on his broom grinning at them.

"Right Lily welcome to your first maunderous flying lesson." James said grinning. "All I want you to do is to go forward, towards Padfoot." Lily looked at James alarmed for a moment, then slowly she steered the broom towards Sirius and started to move towards him, when Lily was about an inch from Sirius's broom James stopped the broom to the screech of Lily.

"I'm not that scary am I?" Sirius asked laughing.

"Did you have to just, just, sit there? Couldn't you have, I dunno moved out of the way?" Lily yelled towards Sirius who once again let out a bark like laugh.

"But I wouldn't have been as much fun, missing that worried look on your face!" Sirius exclaimed.

"It was a classic." Remus said now stationary in the air next to Sirius.

For the next ten minutes Lily was slowly making her way around the Quidditch pitch, James having to stop the broom every now and then when Sirius would decided it was much more fun to fly right in front of Lily, hearing her let out a scream, rather then playing one on one with Remus.

"I think I've had enough for one day!" Lily stated after Sirius had for the 6th time come zooming straight at her before suddenly turning missing a collision narrowly.

James let out a small chuckle before getting a mysterious glint in his eyes that only Remus and Sirius could see. Without warning James pointed the handle of the broomstick towards the ground at speed. Lily's eyes were wide, they were going very quickly towards the ground and Lily couldn't see how they were going to miss hitting the ground. Letting out a scream when it looked like a collision was sure to happen, but James pulled up on the handle, and they were now about 5 feet in the air, and slowly going in a straight line towards the bench.

"You did that on purpose!" Lily yelled at James once again hitting him on the arm once her feet were once more firmly on the ground. "That. Was. Not. Funny." After each word Lily hit James to emphasise her point.

"OOO looks like prongs is being beaten up by our little ol' Lilkins." Sirius shouted and both Remus and himself let out a roar of laughter, as they walked towards the two.

"Lily stop hitting Prongs here, you'll make him loose the rest of the brain cells that he has left." Remus laughed pulling Lily away from James.

"Ummm shall we go back to the house for some, um hot chocolate." James asked feeling relieved that Lily was no longer hitting him, and welcoming going back up the house hoping that Lily would calm down, and not hate him so much for scaring the living day lights out of her.

Everyone was sitting around the large dinner table with brightly coloured mugs full off hot chocolate. Lily was sitting next to Remus and every now and then still shooting glares across the table towards James. James's recent trick with Lily on the broom had now put her off flying once again for life. Lily was fine with the flying up until, the plummeting down towards the ground full speed.

"Can't believe summer is over nearly already!" Sirius exclaimed looking over at the calendar and realising that there were only two days left until it was time to go back to Hogwarts.

"I know, let the fun times begin." Remus laughed.

"Uhuh, gonna be a little weird with ol' Moony here being a Perfect and all that." Sirius said looking woefully over at Remus from across the table.

"Maybe he'll be able to keep you two in line for a change." Lily said looking from James to Sirius then back again.

"WHAT!" Both James and Sirius exclaimed at the same time, utter shock on their faces.

"We do not need controlling thank you very much!" James stated plainly, taking a sip of his hot chocolate.

"We are never out of line. We just like to test the boarder at times." Sirius let out a bark like laugh.

"Yeah, we all know that!" Lily said finishing off the last of her chocolate and putting the cup down on the table.


	12. Back to Hogwarts

Chapter 12 – Back to Hogwarts.

Lily woke up; looking over at her alarm clock it was only six thirty in the morning. She laid in bed looking up at the ceiling trying to get back to sleep, but after what felt like hours Lily rolled over and took another look at her alarm clock, it was still on seven, but heaving a sigh, Lily threw her legs out of bed and walked over to the bathroom to take a shower before changing in to a pair of light blue jeans and a green t-shirt, before sitting down at her dressing table picking up her brush, brushing her hair before tying it up in a messy bun, and throwing her brush into the open trunk, at the foot of her bed.

Once dressed Lily went through the ritual of checking, double then triple checking that she had everything packed in her truck. Lily hated leaving things behind; if she did forget something it would be guaranteed that it would be something important. It was only last year that she had left behind a spell book, and had to hope that her parents would be able to find it and sent it to her.

Satisfied that everything that she needed was in her trunk, and her bird Borrise was locked in his cadge, looking disproving. Lily walked out of her room and down to the kitchen for some toast, waiting for the Potters to pick her up and take her to Kings Cross station with them.

"Morning Lily, can't believe that its time for you to go back already, the summers gone so quickly." Pat said coming into the kitchen and patting Lily on the head, before walking over to the kettle and switching it on.

"I know, and so much has happened. Who would have thought that I would be going back to school with James." Lily said the last part more to her orange juice then to her Nan, who was busy putting coffee and milk into a cup.

"Well dear, it's always the unexpected that's usually turns out to be the best." Pat said sitting down opposite Lily on the table with her mug of coffee. "I'm going to miss you kiddo, I was just getting used to the extra company." Pat looked across at her granddaughter with a sad smile on her face.

"I'll be back before you know it Nan, and I promise I'll write all the time. It will feel like I'm still here." Lily smiled a warm smile over the table, just as there was a knock on the door.

Opening the door Lily came face to face with the happy, smiling faces of James and Sirius.

"Morning Lils, morning Pat." James said looking at Pat who had just appeared in the doorway.

"Morning James, how are you? You better look after my Lily here, when you get back to school." Pat smiled warmly all existence off the sadness wiped from her face.

"I'm good thank you, and I'll do my best to look after her for you." James smiled politely, while Lily rolled her eyes and suppressing a laugh at how polite James was being towards her Nan.

"So where's the trunk?" Sirius asked breaking the silence, which had occurred.

"Oh Nan this is Sirius Black, Sirius this is my Nan Pat. And my trunks still in my room." Lily introduced Sirius to her Nan.

"Nice to meet you their Sirius. Well I'll let you young boys go and grab Lily's trunk while I finish my coffee." Pat walked back into the kitchen leaving the three teenagers by themselves.

Five minutes later and Lily's trunk was loaded in the car along with James and Sirius's. Standing on the front door step with her Nan, Lily turned around and wrapped her Nan into a hug.

"I'll miss you Nan, but I promise I'll write and tell you everything that I'm up to." Lily said pulling away from the hug and looking at her Nan.

"Just make sure that you have fun! And remember to bring back some of those chocolates!" Pat smiled, pushing Lily lightly towards to the awaiting car.

"Bye Nan"

Lily walked towards the car, and took a seat next to James, before noticing how much space was in the back of the car. James and Sirius were casually sitting with plenty of room between them, while Moria, and Henry were sitting on a sofa style seat, rather then the conventional two car seats.

Twenty minutes later and the car pulled outside Kings Cross Station, James and Sirius jumped out of the car and getting three-luggage trolleys. Once the trolleys were all loaded, the three teenagers, Moria and Henry walked towards Platform 2 ¾.

"Right James, Lily you first." Henry said as they all stood by the barrier. "Quickly now." Lily and James pushed their trolleys through the barrier and walked onto the station, the scarlet red Hogwarts express, waiting at the platform.

Lily automatic tried looking over the heads of everyone on the platform, trying to spot her best friend, but seeming everyone seemed to be slightly taller then Lily trying to spot Isabel was proving a hard task.

"Isabel's over there." James pointed over to a girl who had long brown hair, and glittering blue eyes, wearing a pair of blue jean and a blue t-shirt, just as Sirius and Remus came over.

"See you guys in a minute." With that Lily took off after Isabel, leaving the three boys to load the entire luggage on the train.

"ISSY!" Lily shouted as she reached her friend, and embraced her in a tight hug with a huge smile on her face.

"OH MY GAWD LILY." Issy shouted back once they had pulled apart now both jumping up and down on the platform. "You have got so much to tell me young lady." Issy laughed looking over at the three most popular hansom teenagers who were talking to James's parents. Most probably getting a talk on staying out of trouble Lily thought with a large smile still evident on her face.

"Come on, I've got to say bye to the Potter, then we can get a compartment and I'll tell you everything, umm right after I've been to the prefects meeting thing." Lily pulled Issy towards the Potters.

"Ah Lily thought you were going to run off without saying bye for a minute there." Henry laughed, much like James.

"I wouldn't do a thing like that!" Lily laughed.

"Who's your friend, Lily dear?" Moria asked looking as Issy.

"Oh this is my best friend Isabel."

"Nice to finally meet one of Lily's friends." Moria smiled over at Issy, who smiled politely back, for once having the problem of not knowing what to say.

"Now take care of yourself, and try and keep these three in line, I can't tell you how many letter's I've had about them." But to Lily's surprise there was a happy glint to her eyes.

"I will try. Bye Moria, Bye Henry." Lily smiled.

James said bye to his parents, and all five of them boarded the Hogwarts Express.

"Oh Lils I put your luggage in our compartment, as you conveniently forgot to wheel it with you." James looked at her smiling.

"Oh yeah." Lily looked up at the ceiling laughing, "Must have slipped my mind."

Walking along the train, it seemed that every compartment had been taken, apart from the last one, which Lily clearly new was the maunderous compartment. Letting out a sigh Lily looked as Issy

"Looks like were gonna have to share a compartment, I guess I'll tell you everything after the feast tonight." Lily's eyes looked apologetically at her friend.

"There is always a space for two lovely ladies, like yourself in our compartment." Sirius smiled a cheeky smile towards the two.

"I'd feel to sorry for Issy, having to sit with you two berks while I go to the prefects meeting. I'm going to be late for the meeting!" Lily's eyes went suddenly wide realising the time.

"Lils its fine, I'm sure I can hold my own against them two! If not you can always give them lines." Issy laughed following James and Sirius as Lily and Remus walked quickly towards the prefect's compartment.

Sirius opened the door to "their" compartment, and then stood to one side.

"Ladies first." Sirius smiled towards Issy, who looked a little shocked for a moment. Issy like Lily was used to the maunderous to be a little arrogant, and conceited, not polite. Walking past Sirius and James, Issy took a seat next to the window, as the other two walked in and took seats.

"Isabel isn't it?" Sirius asked knowing that Issy hated being called by her real name.

"No it's not, and you know it!"

"Not Isabel, umm could it be Isabella then?" James asked now joining in with the annoying of Lily's friend.

"No, why is yours Jamie?" Issy retaliated, with a knowing smile, Issy knew that James hated beyond anything else was to be called Jamie.

"Touché." James laughed as the door opened, and in stepped the one and only Kate.

"May we help you?" Sirius asked making it sound like Kate must have been lost.

"I came here to talk to James."

"Well what is it you wish to talk about?" James asked now looking at Kate intrigued as to what she had to say.

"I would like to speak to you alone." Kate looked at the other two occupants in the compartment.

"Come on Issy, let's go find some food." Issy got up from her seat and followed Sirius out of the compartment.

Once the compartment door was nearly closed Sirius pulled Issy to one side, close to the gap, between the door and the doorframe.

"How about we take a listen to what she's got to say. Especially after what she said in Diagon Alley."

"What happened in Diagon Alley?" Issy asked confused.

"Oh, I thought Lily would have told you, lets just say she said a few things about Lily, and it didn't go down to well." Sirius turned away from Issy and they were now both listening intensely to the conversation happening inside the compartment.

"James, I wanted to talk about what happened in Diagon Alley the other day, I mean it isn't really over between us is it?" Kate was looking hopefully into James's eyes.

"Kate I don't want to be with you anymore. Especially as you can't accept my friends, popular or not." James stated clearly.

"But James, why start messing with your popularity and hanging around with the book worms? They are the ones probably using you for your popularity." Kate threw her blond hair behind her shoulders, smiling at James.

"Using me for my popularity, more like you want to use me to keep yours!" James said pointedly. Looking at the anger now flashing in her eyes.

"I have popularity if I'm dating you or not!" Kate snarled.

"Glad we cleared that up anything else?"

"James, you can not seriously be turning me down!" Kate raised her voice looking at James desperately.

"I can turn you down, and I am turning you down."

"You wait, those two freaks that your hanging around with will be the ruining of your popularity, that Evans is so used to being a lonely looser that she will never get used to being around other people, and will pull you lot into hiding with her." Kate turned on her heels and marched out of the compartment leaving behind a shocked James.

Once the compartment door opened Sirius made no inclination to hide the fact that they were listening from outside of the door, and gave her a wave as she left, while Issy took a more tactical approach and as Kate walked past put out her foot, and watched as Kate fell ungracefully to the floor of the carriage. Sirius let out a bark laugh as James put his head out of the carriage and joined in with the laughter. Issy was standing there with a smug look on her face.

Getting up from the floor of the carriage, just as Remus and Lily came walking up the carriage to join the others.

"You wait, I'll get you back for that!" Kate said dangerously to Issy, who let out a small laugh.

"Oh please, like I'm scared of you! You'd be to worried about braking a nail to do anything." Issy said laughing still as she turned around and walked back into the compartment, followed by the rest of the gang.

"Well done, couldn't have said or done it better myself." Sirius said clapping his hand together and bowing at Issy.

"Why thank you, thank you." Issy smiled plopping herself back in the seat by the window.

Lily took the seat opposite and the three boys spread themselves around the compartment. Remus and Lily were looking at each other wondering what they had missed, for the commotion in the corridor.

"So you gonna clue us in?" Remus asked looking around the compartment.

"Oh Kate being her usual charming self Moony, you caught the best part, thanks to Isabel over here." Sirius smiled.

"Call me Isabel one more time, and I'll hex you into next century!" Issy pointed her want at Sirius threatenly. Sirius raised his eyebrows at the wand.

"Haven't known you two minutes and your already threatening me!" Sirius said in a high-pitched voice with a smile on his face, obviously feeling that calling Issy Isabel again would undoubtedly be a mistake.

"So who's up for a game of exploding snap?" James asked pulling out a pack of cards.

"I think I'll pass." Lily said looking at the mysterious glint in all three boys eyes, as they all sat around in a circle.

"Not me I'm in!" Issy said taking a seat between Sirius and Remus completing the circle. Lily instead pulled out "Pride and Prejudice" from her trunk and began reading, every now and then looking up when a yell or scream was heard, not envying them at all.

The door of the compartment opened and an elderly witch popped her head in." Anything from the carriage my dears?" she asked.

Within moments the carriage was full of every variety of sweets imaginable, and before Lily could say anything a chocolate frog was being thrown over to her.

"Don't worry, it's a ritual, help yourselves." James said with a mouth full of cauldron cake and throwing a pumpkin pastry now at Lily, who caught it just before it hit her in the face. "Thanks."

Before long the large quantity of cakes and sweets had been consumed. Mainly by James and Sirius, and everyone was sitting around the compartment, thinking about what to do next.

"How about truths, get more acquainted with each other." Issy said looking at everyone in the compartment, who nodded his or her heads in agreement.

"I'll go first." Sirius said looking over at Lily, Lily looked straight back not breaking eye contact. "Right Lillian, the question that's on all of our minds I'm sure, why did you finally give Prongs here a chance?" Everyone in the compartment turned to look at Lily eagerly awaiting the answer.

Lily sat there for a moment, taking in the question, she had prepared herself for any question Sirius could ask, other then one, just thrown at her.

"Umm well, I guess it was – I dunno he was there when I needed someone to lean on, and well I kindda told my parents I would give him a second chance against my own better judgement, so I guess I was just doing it for them, it was more a doing it to keep my word, then actually giving James a chance. I guess I was doing it because Issy wasn't around and I needed someone to umm be there." Lily looked up from the chair that she had been talking to throughout her little speech, now looking up at James who had hurt in his eyes. Everyone else was looking shocked at what Lily had just said, Issy was looking at Lily with an expression of shock and sadness, while Sirius and Remus looked utter bewildered.

"Well I'm going to go and er get changed, we will probably be there soon." James said getting up from his seat and stepping out into the corridor.

"Should someone go after him?" Remus asked looking at Sirius.

"Umm, I guess so." Sirius said looking up at the door.

"No it should be me who goes." Lily said getting up from her seat and heading towards the door.

"You're the one who just sent him out there do you really think it's such a good idea?" Issy said speaking up for the first time.

"Yes." Lily said as she opened the door and disappeared down the corridor.

"Do you think that was a good idea?" Issy asked Remus and Sirius who shrugged, looking a little worried.

Lily found James ten minutes later standing in one of the carriage corridors looking out of the window, wearing his Hogwarts uniform. James could see Lily walking slowly towards him, but at the moment he didn't quiet feel like talking to her after finding out all the advances he thought they had made on becoming friends over the summer was a lie.

"James." Lily said softly taping James on the shoulder expecting him to turn around and smile. But to Lily's shock he stood still facing the window.

"James I know your upset with me."

"Really Lily, would you blame me, after finding out that everything you had said over the summer was a lie?" James turned quickly around catching Lily of guard; she tripped over her own foot and fell against the wall on the opposite side.

"James please just hear me out please." Lily looked pleadingly into James's eyes, and to James's dismay he found it hard to be angry with Lily when she looked that worried, so he stood there allowing Lily to speak.

"James, I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it to come out like that. I wanted to say that at first I only gave you a chance because of my parents, but once I got to know you I actually wanted to give you a chance, I wanted to give you the chance, the chance that you had deserved for a while. I guess I didn't expect you to be the person you turned out to be, the person I began to know, the person that I became friends with. You once said that you would rather be friends with me then fight, and well I feel the same, I would rather be friends with you then fight with you all the time. Please I don't want to go back to fighting with you. Over the past month I have learnt that there is a total different side to you that I never gave you the chance to show before, and well I like that side of you, and I don't want to loose you as a friend." Lily finished looking at the wall.

"Lily you waffle on way to much when you're apologising." James looked at Lily who was still looking at the wall. "Look Lily." James stepped over to her and put two fingers under her chin so that she was looking directly at her. "I don't want to loose you as a friend either." James looked intensely into Lily's eyes.

Without realising what was happening James moved in closer to Lily still gazing wordlessly into her eyes, then slowly moving his head so that their faces were inches away from one another. Lily's emerald green eyes were looking into James's swirling hazel ones, wondering what on earth was happening.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Hey, thanks for the reviews, and they are going back to sixth year!

Lorna


	13. The Feast

Chapter 13 – The Feast. 

When all of a sudden James smiled "You know what, how about we go back an hour and pretend none of this happened. And we can call this truths for the whole Quidditch thing."

"You know I think that's a great idea." Lily smiled a large warm smile and James took her hand and they walked back up to the compartment.

Walking back into the compartment the conversation suddenly died, Sirius, Remus and Issy, were looking at the pair, wanting to know if they should get ready to finish the ride in silence or if Lily and James had made it back up again. But looking at the pair smiling it was evident that they had managed once again to put the past behind them.

Looking around Lily noticed that they were all in their school robes, then realised that she had yet to get dressed.

"Oh were going to be there in a minute and I haven't got my robes on!" Lily screeched rushing past James getting ready to rind her trunk to rummage in.

"Lils, I've got your robes here, quick go put them on." Lily ran out of the compartment and came back in five minutes later fully dressed in her uniform and pinning on her shiny red Prefect badge, just as the train started to slow down.

"Sirius this is all your fault!" Lily said looking up from robes towards Sirius.

"My fault. How is it my fault? Hold on what is my fault?"

"Its always your fault. Learn to live with it." Sirius looked at Lily quizzically and confused for a moment, before turning to look at Issy wordlessly asking if this was normal. Issy just smiled in return and walked towards her friend, linked arms then walked out of the compartment and step onto the platform at Hogsmead, shortly followed by the three guys.

Making their way through the thong of people, the five teenagers made their way to the horseless carriages, and took a seat in an empty one. Lily somehow found herself squashed between, Sirius and Remus, with Issy and James sitting comfortably on the other side of the carriage.

"Looking a little squashed their Lils." Issy laughed looking at her friend. In return Lily just shot a glare at her friend, wiggling around and some how managing to squash herself closer to Sirius trying to make herself comfortable.

"Why don't you just sit on my lap?" Sirius laughed as lily tried pushing him out of the way. But without Lily realising it Sirius lifted her up and placed her on his lap. "Now stop wiggling will you."

"I hope the sorting doesn't take to long I'm starving." James said aloud.

"What you just ate a mountain of food!" Issy looked at James bewildered.

"Were growing young men." Remus said laughing.

Before Long they were all climbing out of the carriage and walking up the stone, steps through the large wooden entrance doors and made their way across the entrance hall towards the great hall.

Once in the great hall Lily smiled the usually four house tables were there and students were already filling up the seats, talking to their friends, and yelling over to friends in other houses. Walking along the hall towards the Gryffindor table Lily could see students turning and looking obviously, the news of Lily being friends with the famous Marauders had spread extremely quickly.

"Just ignore them, they will soon all find something better to talk about." Issy said in Lily's ear as they took a seat near the middle of the table, and the boys soon joined them taking the spare seats around them.

Before long the students in the hall became silent as the great doors flew open, and Professor McGonagall walked down between the tables carrying a three legged wooden stool in one hand and a tatty looking hat in the other. Following her down were the many first years, some looking pale, other looking confident, and a few who were looking extremely overwhelmed.

Once the hat was placed on the stool at the far end of the table the sorting hat burst out into song. Singing about the different houses, which the students could be sorted into. Straight after the whole of the hall clapped until Professor McGonagall cleared her throat.

"Right when I call your name, you will come forward, and place this hat on your head. Right then Jordan Banes." A young nervous looking boy walked up to the stool took the hat and placed it on his head. Within seconds the hat shouted out Hufflepuff.

The Hufflepuff table erupted in applause as the young boy walked quickly over and sat himself down at the end of the table. Soon enough their was only one young girl left, walking up to the stool, and putting the hat on her head, the sorting hat took a moment before calling out "Gryffindor." The young girl smiled and rushed over to the Gryffindor table where she took the last available seat.

Dumbaldore got to his feet and once again the students in the hall became silent.

"I gather you must all be hungry, so lets eat." With a wave of his hand the four house tables became covered in plates of food. Straight away Sirius grabbed the closest plate of mash potatoes, and started piling it onto his plate, and then pushing that plate back, he grabbed the chicken legs and started to pile them onto his plate. Lily had stopped midway of putting a spoon full of carrots on her plate to watch Sirius piling as much food onto his plate as humanly possible.

"How much food can you fit on one plate?" Lily asked looking at Sirius with her eyebrows rose.

"Lily there is, nothing, nothing, more important then a proper meal." Sirius said looking over at Lily's plate, which only had a few carrots, and a pie on it.

"Lils you get used to his bizarre eating habits after a while." Remus laughed putting a fork full of mash potato in his mouth.

"I don't think anyone can ever get used to that!" Issy laughed looking at Sirius now put a large fork full of mash potato into his mouth.

Before long, everyone had eaten until there stomachs were full, and even Sirius couldn't manage to eat another spoon full of cake. The plates on all the tables then disappeared and Dumbaldore once again got to his feet, and the whole of the hall became silent.

"Mr Filch would like me to remind you that spells are not allowed in the hallways, the complete list of forbidden items can be found on his office door, if you wish to check, I do believe there are one hundred and ten items, to date.

I would also like to remind new students and some older ones that the forbidden forest is out of bounds to all students." Dumbaldore looked over towards the middle of the Gryffindor table.

"Now I am sure that you are all tired from you journey, and all wanting a good nights sleep, so that you can be refreshed for your lessons in the morning." Dumbaldore's eyes were twinkling as the students started to rise from the benches heading off towards their prospective common rooms.

Lily stood up, feeling bloated and tried, walked to the end of the Gryfindor table where the first years were starting to get up.

"Right first years follow me, I'll show you to the common room." Lily said looking around at the first years, then up the table to see Remus attempting to get out of his seat, then Sirius pushing him back into his seat once again. This continued till Lily yelled up the table to Sirius.

"Oi Sirius never knew you liked the opposite sex in that way!" Lily said this as Sirius had his arm around Remus's shoulder keeping him in his seat.

Instantly James roared with laugher as Sirius dropped his arm from around Remus's shoulder and looked murderously towards Lily.

"I like men, as much as you like prongs here." Sirius smirked.

"You like them quiet a lot then." Lily grinned for a moment until it registered what she had just said. Lily glanced at James who had stopped laughing, and now was looking at Lily a little shocked.

Looking around the great hall Lily could see people staring at her, some looking at her as if she had grown a third head, others with jealousy, and few who were just curious at what was going to happen.

"Well, follow us then, we'll show you to the common room and dormitories." Remus said looking towards Lily who was now blushing furiously and turning redder then her hair.

"Thanks Remus." Lily smiled as they walked along the corridor towards the portrait of the fat lady.

"Anytime."

"Right this is the portrait of the Fat Lady, which leads to the common room and dormitories." Lily turned to look at all the first years, which seemed to be trying to take in everything around them. "Willow." Lily said to the fat lady, who bowed and the portrait opened allowing the group to walk through into the common room.

Walking into the common room Remus told the first years where their dormitories were, before walking over to the couch where James, Sirius and Isabel were sitting, chatting in front of the fire. Lily stood where she was for a second, deciding if she wanted to join them, or run and hide in her bed until the morning, when hopefully everyone would have forgotten what happened half an hour ago, but going against her better judgment Lily walked slowly over to the group.

"Ah Lily there's a nice spot for you next to James. I knew you would like to sit next to him, since you like him an all." Sirius laughed watching Lily blush, as she walked past the seat next to James and sat on the rug, resting her back against the chair, where Isabel's feet would have been, but Isabel had her legs curled underneath her.

"You tricked me into saying that! If I had said that you couldn't like men, I would have hurt James's feelings by saying I don't like him. So what choice did I have? And now I bet everyone thinks that I like you, I mean really like you! Sirius this is all your fault!" Lily exclaimed after she had finished rambling. Sirius was looking shocked, and amused at Lily's little speech.

"So what your trying to say, forgive me if I'm wrong Lillian is that you don't really like Prongs, you just said it not to hurt his feelings." Sirius said this smirking once again, liking how easy it was to embarrass and wind Lily up, but most of all listening to Lily trying to talk her way out of it.

James was looking intrigued as to what Lily had to say; Isabel was trying not to laugh at Lily's predicament while Remus was looking at Lily with sympathy knowing that Sirius wasn't going to let Lily off lightly.

"No, I don't not like James, I just, I only like him as a friend that's all! And DON'T CALL ME LILLIAN." Lily shouted the last part at Sirius hoping that it might sink in.

"Who ever said anything about liking him more then a friend?" Sirius asked innocently, looking at James who was laughing and shaking his head.

"Ahhh I've had enough I'm going to bed." With that Lily jumped up off the floor and stormed off up the stairs to the girls dormitory.

"I think I'm going to go after her. Night." Isabel said getting up from the chair and walking up the stairs towards her dormitory.

"Well Padfood you do have the knack of making ladies leave." James laughed at his friend who picked up the cushion off the chair and throw it at him.

"Very mature."

Up in the dormitory Lily had already got herself changed into a pair of green starry pyjamas, and was vigorously brushing her teeth when Isabel entered.

"Lils, you know he was doing it on purpose." Issy said sympathetically to her friend who had now finished brushing her teeth and had thrown herself down onto Issy's bed.

"I know, he can just be so annoying at times." Lily sighed laying back looking up at the ceiling.

"Well I'm going to get changed, then your gonna tell me everything that happened over the summer." Issy smiled rummaging in her trunk, pulling out a pair of blue pyjamas with monkeys on them.

"So, how did you and James become such good friends?" Issy asked quizzicality, flopping down onto the bed next to Lily as their other dorm mates were lazing around chatting to one another.

"Well it was kindda what I said on the train, but well I was sitting in the park, by myself, when he came over, and well it just carried on from there. He made me face up to things that I didn't want to face up to. James was just there when I needed a shoulder to cry on, and was there when I wanted to do something and block out everything. He turned out to be the total opposite to what I though he was Issy, I feel bad now for all the things I said." Lily sighed still staring straight ahead of her.

"Well he did do some horrid stuff to you, so I wouldn't be feeling too bad. But Sirius and Remus don't seem that bad either."

"Sirius is alright, just likes to annoy me, and I have always got on with Remus, his lovely." Lily looked over at Issy who was smiling broadly.

"So does this mean that Miss Evans is becoming a Marauders groupie?" Issy laughed looking at Lily who was smiling.

"You know it looks like we are doesn't it." Lily laughed getting up from her bed and walking over to her own. "Well, I need my beauty sleep, don't want to be grumpy on my first day." Lily laughed getting between the sheets and closing the curtains around her bed.

"Night Lils." Issy yawned doing the exact same as Lily.

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Hey – First off so sorry I haven't up dated soon been sooooo busy, doing coursework. Thank you for the reviews.

Thanks Tanja for pointing out the spelling mistake because I did actually find that way of spelling it from a website, and I don't have the books to cross-reference anything at the moment.

Well please review and I promise to update by next weekend!!!

Lorna x


	14. Chapter 14

"OI Wake up lazy bones, or were gonna miss breakfast! And I'm hungry!" Issy said shaking Lily roughly awake.

"m'up." Lily mumbled, wiping the sleep from here eyes and slowly sitting up, looking over at Issy who was already fully dressed and looking impatient to get down to the great hall.

"Come on!" Issy exclaimed pulling the covers away from the now semi-conscious Lily.

"You know I didn't miss this over the summer." Lily grumbled, throwing her legs out of the bed and picking up her uniform, before walking into the bathroom to get changed.

Lily came out of the bathroom, and placed her nightclothes on the bed, before looking at Issy who was impatiently tapping her foot and looking out of the window towards the forest.

"Finally, come on I'm starved, here's your bag." Issy threw Lily's school bag at her then pulled her down the stairs to the common room, which was now nearly empty, and all the way down to the great hall.

Entering the Great Hall Issy pulled Lilly down the table to the closest two empty seats and immediately started piling eggs and bacon on to her plate, while Lily sat there groggily looking at the food in front of her, before grabbing a slice of buttered toast, just as professor McGonagal came to hand them their time tables.

"Potions first thing. Double Potions, to make it worst." Issy cried looking at her timetable.

"Potion's isn't that bad Issy." Lily laughed looking over the rest of her timetable, not noticing three boys getting up from the table and heading towards them.

"We have double Transfiguration to end the day with! I don't know why I chose to continue that subject." Lily exclaimed taking a small bite out of her toast.

"Transfiguration isn't that bad Lils." James laughed taking a seat next to Lily and looking over her timetable.

"You have got the exact same classes as us three." James observed, still looking at the timetable.

"Are you lucky or what." Sirius laughed looking at the alarmed look on Lily's face.

"We're stuck with you three in ALL our classes. As in ALL lessons." Lily exclaimed dropping the last of her toast onto her plate.

"Yep!" Sirius said happily.

"Oh god I'm going to fail everything." Lily said eyes wide, looking at Issy for help.

"Lil it won't be that bad, well I'm sure it can't be that bad." Issy said "But we better get going or were going to be late, and I don't think Professor Slughorn will be happy if his star pupil was late." Issy laughed as Lily got to her feet and the pair of them went to walk away.

"Besides we can always just hide in the library, I doubt that James and Sirius even know where it is!" Issy said to Lily as they walked away from the table towards the entrance hall.

"Hey I do too know where the Library is!" Sirius yelled getting up from the table and catching up with Lily and Issy.

"He even knows how to use a book too." Remus laughed as James and himself caught up with the group.

"Remember Padfoot, it's one of them things with pretty pictures and words." James said as if he was talking to a child.

"OOOO and it can be used to hit people like this." Sirius grabbed a book from his bag and hit James over the head with it, before walking into the classroom and taking a seat towards the back.

"That hurt you know!" James exclaimed throwing himself into the chair next to Sirius and rubbing the back of his head and looking at Remus as he took a seat next to him.

"Morning class. Hope you all had a good summer." Professor Slughorn smiled as a murmur went around the room. "Right then for a nice start to the year, I want you all to make me a potion, which uses daisy roots." Slughorn smiled as the students started to light fires under their cauldrons.

"A potion, which uses daisy roots? Is he having a laugh?" Issy exclaimed looking at Lily for help.

"Don't look at me for help, you should know a nice simple potion to make." Lily said as a matter of fact, finally chopping up a root of some sort, before looking up at the distress on Issy's face, just as a ball of crunched up parchment came flying towards Issy.

Issy turned around, looking for the culprit and saw Sirius gesturing for Issy to open the crunched up ball of parchment. Slowly flattening out the parchment Issy could see a message.

'_Should have sat with us, we would have helped you out.'_ Sighing Issy got her quill and wrote a note back.

'_What and abandon my unhelpful friend never!' _

Screwing the parchment back into a ball Issy threw it over to Sirius and looked at Lily hoping that she would give her a tiny clue, just as a ball of parchment once again hit her on the head. Once again picking up the parchment and unscrambling it Issy read the reply.

'_There is nothing more important then loyalty to unhelpful friends, for that I will help you. Think of the shrinking potions. _

Turning around Issy smiled thankfully towards Sirius and began flicking through her potions book for the instructions.

An hour later and Issy grabbed her bag rushing out of the classroom as fast as she could. Her potion had ended up disastrous, instead of being clear; the potion had turned a pale blue, and gave off the smell of rotten socks. The smell was still lingering slightly.


End file.
